Between
by Grey Raven North
Summary: December has begun and an odd lethargy has set in among the fusions. What could be better than throwing a party to celebrate? Getting it to go off without a hitch might take some doing, however, especially when someone starts to meddle in the plans...
1. The Future 1: And So, It Begins!

Hello! Grey North here! I've decided to delve into FusionFall fanfiction, as you can see. I'm trying to follow gameplay, although some things will be changed for sheer believability and as plot devices. That's all for now. Enjoy!

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-0.1

Kina yawned and blinked, stretching. With lazy ease, she turned to look at her alarm clock. 9:00 on a Saturday morning. Not bad.

After a moment, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. With another huge yawn, she slid out from under the covers. It was good to be done with high school, to have been accepted to college, and to be entering the beautiful, everlasting days of summer.

She stood and stumbled over to her mirror, glanced into it, and frowned. The bump her cap had left in her hair was still there, despite the massive bed-head she was suffering from. _Oh well_, she thought, eyes sliding to regard the reflection of her gown and golden stole. It was nothing a shower wouldn't fix, and it wasn't like she had anything to do today.

After a long, hot shower and a bowl of cereal, Kina felt a bit more human. She curled up on the couch and grabbed the book she'd been planning to reread for a month, Orson Scott Card's Ender's Shadow. As she started to read, a sudden wail destroyed the quiet morning. Kina sighed, closed the book, and padded her way back upstairs.

She walked down the hall and stopped at the pink door. After waiting for another wail, she knocked on the door. "What's up?" she asked, listening for a response. All she heard was a heavy cough.

Concern flashing across her face, she opened the door and walked into the room. Her young sister, Ellen, peeked out from under the covers and coughed again.

Kina raised an eyebrow and walked over. She placed her hand on Ellen's forehead and concentrated. It was hot, certainly warm enough to indicate a fever. She sighed and knelt beside the bed.

"You're staying in today. No arguments. You've got that annoying summer cold you always get, and we can't risk an infection like last year, right?" she said, smiling. Ellen opened her mouth to protest, but Kina shook her head. "No. I'm in charge while mom and dad are out, and I say you stay in bed. I'll make you some chicken noodle soup for lunch, since it is almost noon."

A pitiful moan escaped Ellen's mouth as she slammed her head into the pillow. "No, no, no! Why did I have to be sick today?"

Kina, already at the doorway, paused and looked back. "What's so special about today? You still have two weeks of school, so..."

Ellen shook her head and pulled up the covers. "I promised Dexter that I'd be part of his big experiment with time travel today. He needed a bunch of people, and if I'm not there, he might not be able to do it! And then everyone'll be mad and hate me and..." Her speech dissolved into coughing, which she tried to suppress with little success.

The older Brightstream girl stared at her with pity. "Sorry, kiddo, but you're super sick right now. Wouldn't want to infect the past or the future, eh? I'm sure they'll understand..." She trailed off as Ellen shook her head emphatically. She bit her lip, searching for something to say, but came up empty. After a few seconds, she turned and went to the kitchen to make some soup.

Ellen was sitting up, sniffling and staring out the window, when Kina came back with the lunch tray. She sighed and walked over, gave the tray to her sister, and sat on the bed.

"So," she said, looking into Ellen's watery eyes. "How long is this experiment supposed to take?"

"Huh?"

Kina smiled and crossed her arms. "Well, it sounds as if it's just a numbers issue. You can't be there, so Dex is one short. If I went in your place, he could do the experiment and no one would be mad at you, right?"

Ellen stirred her soup, thinking. "He said it'd only take an hour or so. We're supposed to be there at noon..."

Kina glanced at her watch. 11:40. "This at DexLabs?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah."

"Well then. Plenty of time to get there. Does that sound like a plan? I mean, at the very least, I can tell him why you won't be there," she said with a smile.

Her sister nodded. "That sounds good. Thanks for the soup, sis," she whispered.

Careful not to spill the lunch, Kina leaned over and hugged her. "Anything for you, kid," she said, before she stood, ruffled Ellen's hair, and left.

Kina stopped in the hallway, glancing into the full length mirror that graced the entry. Green and orange combat pants, a black and green striped halter, and orange tinted fingerless gloves complemented her brilliant green eyes and deep green hair. Technically, she supposed, it was black, but in most light, it took on a dark green luminescence. After a second she grabbed a hair-tie and pulled it back into a low ponytail. She grinned, grabbed her keys, and swept out the door.

Ten minutes of frantic driving found her at DexLabs, five minutes early. She frowned to herself as she locked the car doors. She had a habit of driving fast that she was trying to correct. All in good time, she supposed, as she walked up and entered the building.

One of the many Dexbots rolled up to her. "Are you here for experimentation?" it asked, voice flat.

"Er... Yes, I suppose. I was wondering if I could talk to Dexter about that, actually? There's a little problem..." she said, blinking and staring around the lobby. Everything was... blue. And shiny, she thought, mind wandering. New looking.

The Dexbot made a whirring sound, drawing her out of her reverie. Its eyes blinked. "Yes. Please follow me," it intoned, turning and heading down a hallway.

After a moment, Kina shook her head and followed. Robots. Time travel. How else would the young genius change the world?

The robot led her to a small room, where it stopped and indicated that she should enter and sit. The door slid shut behind her, leaving her alone with a bench and a large, flickering screen.

Kina bit her lip and sat down, glancing around the room. White walls, dim, blue tinted lights. What was it with blue? She shook her head and focused on the screen, and, feeling foolish, waved.

"Um, hi? Is anyone there?"

"Please stand by. Dexter will be with you in a moment," a feminine voice said. Kina jumped, then blushed. Of course. Computress. How could she have forgotten?

The screen flickered once more before settling. Dexter and his ever-present assistant Computress stood, staring at her. She smiled sheepishly as the young scientist raised an eyebrow.

"You wanted to speak with me?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"Ah, yes. Right. I'm Ellen Brightstream's sister, Kina. She got sick this morning and felt bad that she couldn't come, so I came instead." She winced, wondering why she was so unnerved by this boy's unchanging stare.

After a long silence, Dexter smiled. "It's fine. It's quite impressive that she thought to send a substitute. The experiment can proceed as planned," he said, pressing a button. "Now, everyone, please sit still as the computer scans you. When prompted, say your name very clearly."

"Name, please." Computress's voice issued from hidden speakers.

"Akinas Brightstream."

"Age?"

"Eighteen."

The screen flickered again as one corner changed to a three dimensional rendering of Kina. Her name, age, and other stats appeared next to it. Beneath the screen, a drawer popped open, revealing a medium-sized black watch.

"Please take the communicator and place it on your wrist. The doors will open in a few seconds and you will all be led to the time capsule. We will issue further instructions there," Dexter said, turning away from the screen.

Kina did as she was asked, and the doors slide open with a pneumatic hiss. Flashing lights and arrows ushered her into a large room with many doors, through which were entering many younger kids. She sighed and rolled her eyes, hiding her annoyance at the fact that half of them were taller than her. Yes, she was short, but this was bordering on ridiculous.

One whole wall flickered and revealed Dexter and Computress once more, as the doors slid closed. Kina glanced around. There had to be at least a hundred kids in the room, probably more. Why did Dexter feel the need for so many test subjects, she wondered, before returning her attention to the screen.

"Are we ready, Computress?" the boy genius asked.

"Systems are go."

"Start the program then. And, countdown! In five..."

"Oooh, pretty!" came a young, female voice. Kina raised an eyebrow.

"Four..."

"Tee hee!" This time, the voice was accompanied by a spinning, dancing girl. She flashed behind the two onscreen, without them noticing.

"Three..."

"Oooooh, this is new!"

"Two..."

"Hey, what's that?" The girl launched across the screen again. Kina bit her lip, wondering exactly what was going on.

"One..."

"What's this button do?"

"Dee Dee, no!" Dexter cried, a look of panic flashing across his face as he turned to see the girl. It was too late, however, and the button had already been pressed.

"Zero," Computress finished.

The room flashed into perfect darkness. Kina's heart leapt into her throat and her stomach twisted, feeling the way it did on a big drop on a roller coaster. Her chest felt tight, like she couldn't get enough air in her lungs. Disoriented, she fell to her knees, blinking rapidly. There was a sense of infinity around her, like there were no walls, no people, just _nothing_ that went on _forever_...

And with a jolt, she hit the ground, knees and hands grinding into the dirt. She took a deep breath, head spinning, and collapsed.

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A/N: Well, the first chapter is up, and we're rocketing into the future! I think I have the title down, although suggestions are gladly accepted. Also, if I don't have a character quite right, don't hesitate to tell me. In any event... Hobey ho, let's go!


	2. The Future 2: Future Shock

_Two years and one month into the future…_

With a moan, Kina pushed herself up, spitting out dirt. She shook her head and drew herself into a kneeling position. Everything ached in a vague, half-remembered sort of way. Like phantom pain, only real, of course.

Mind reeling, she gingerly placed her hand against her temple and winced. Her head throbbed, the pain seated somewhere behind her eyes. Light hurt. She wondered if sound would, too, and realized that she was surrounded by silence.

Had the experiment gone wrong? Had she been deafened? As the thoughts passed through her mind, she remembered. The time travel thing. The girl –Dee Dee, she realized with a groan- in the background. Yes, something had gone wrong. But...

"_Akinas Brightream, please come in_." came Computress's voice. Blinking, moving with dreamlike slowness, Kina glanced down at her wrist. Right. The communicator.

She brought it up towards her face and squinted. "Uh, yeah. I'm here." She grimaced, and added, "Wherever here is, of course."

"_When is a more relevant question. You were sent further into the future than anticipated, approximately two years_."

"Oh," she responded, voice flat. She took a deep breath and looked around. "Ah, where are the others?"

"_The program specified that you would all emerge from the time stream at different points_."

"I see," Kina lied, rolling her eyes. "So, what now?"

"Hey, how'd you get here?" called a new voice. Kina spun, heart pounding, to see two figures running towards her. She blinked and stood.

"Wait, I know you guys. Numbuh... Five? And Ben Tennyson? What's going on here?" she asked as they stopped beside her.

Ben glanced up on a nearby ridge and shook his head. "No time to explain. Fusion Spawns, Numbuh Five. Let's go," he said, taking off towards the ridge. After a moment, Numbuh Five followed, Kina close at her heels.

"Wait! What's going on?" she cried, scrambling up the steep incline to the flat area above.

The younger girl spared her a glance and a weary smile. "We'll explain after. Just take this, point, and shoot for now," she responded, handing Kina a large, reddish gun.

Kina took it, raising an eyebrow. "Shoot...oh," she said, staring at the strange green goo blobs in front of her. She held the rifle and, with only a small shake to her hands, pulled the trigger.

A chunk of goo disintegrated, drawing the Spawn's attention. It hissed and bounded towards her, followed by the other two. Uttering a small cry, Kina blasted all three to kingdom come.

"Sweet. You're a natural," Ben said, planting a hand on her shoulder. Kina jumped and stared at him, eyes wide.

"What is going on here?!" she yelped, cradling the rifle.

"Hold up. Numbuh Five recognizes you. You were part of Dex's experiment, right? Where're the others?"

"Um, Computress said something about them still being in the time stream. Or something," Kina replied, voice shaking. "But, really, what's..?"

"Sorry, has to wait. We've got trouble," Ben interrupted, pointing over her shoulder. She turned, terrified of what she might see.

Oh. A giant, three-headed, green-goo covered mechanical dog. Nothing to worry about.

No, wait. That was a bad thing. "Holy crud!" she screamed, tightening her grip on the rifle, as Ben shot forward and started attacking.

Numbuh Five glanced at Kina with a smile. "Just point and shoot, alright?"

Kina nodded, positioned her weapon, and shot. The creature howled and fixed its gaze on her, a malicious glint in its eyes. It opened its mouth and let fly a glob of goo. Kina dodged, and the goo only hit a small part of her arm. Wincing, she put on a grim smile and continued shooting. Finally, the thing let loose a pitiful cry and disintegrated.

A stream of green goo shot towards Kina once more. She lifted her arm to protect herself, and watched in fascination as it hit and sank into her communicator. Two holographic counters appeared, numbers rising rapidly.

"That was your take of the fusion matter and taros. Fusion matter lets you create these things called nanos, and taros are like money," Numbuh Five explained. "Looks like your communicator already knows how to keep track."

"_I took the liberty of converting it to a Nanocom_," Computress said, voice issuing from the tiny watch. A small hologram of her head appeared, floating above the Nanocom's face.

"A what-now?" Kina asked, staring with wide eyes. "And please, for the love of God, would _someone_ tell me what's going on here?"

Ben chuckled. "That's right, you've been out of the picture for a while. Look up there," he said, pointing. Kina followed his finger and gasped. A huge green planet, with bulges of... other planets?... floated in the sky like some perverted moon.

"Wha... What's that?" she managed, eyes locked on the grotesque figure.

"That's Planet Fusion," Numbuh Five muttered. "Thing appeared about a month after you all went missing in time. Long story short, an army of those blobs, Fusion Spawns, started sampling everything and creating twisted versions of them. There's also Terrafusers, which are taking whole areas and making them poisonous."

"Basically, Planet Fusion is trying to absorb earth, and we're trying to stop it." Ben shook his head. "We're losing."

"What?" Kina asked. "Losing?"

Numbuh Five tsked and crossed her arms. "Outnumbered, outpowered, out everythinged. We've got Tech Square and about three fourths of the Suburbs left. Everything else..." She spread her hands and sighed.

"Everything? As in, the rest of the world is gone?"

"But there might be some hope," Ben said quietly, locking eyes with the bewildered Kina. "Dex said that there were a lot of you. With all of your help, we might have a chance."

"You just said..."

"I know what we just said," he replied, silencing her with a look and a laugh. "We also said it was due to being outnumbered. You guys can even the odds up. Who knows, maybe getting rid of Planet Fusion will bring everything back. We can only keep trying."

"He's got a point," Numbuh Five said with a grin. "You can start by heading up to help Numbuh Two. We'll stay here and greet the rest of the travelers when they arrive. Oh, and you can keep the gun. You'll need it."

"Ah... Okay. Okay, I'll...do that." Kina closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "All right. I'm calm. I'm okay. I'm probably in shock, but whatever. Where'd you say he was?"

Numbuh Five pointed up the hill. The other girl gave her a curt nod and trotted away, oversized gun almost dragging in the dirt. As soon as she was out of sight, Numbuh Five sighed and let her grin fall away.

Ben scuffed the ground with his foot. "It'll be fine. I'm sure Dex has a plan. And, at the very least, I know we've got one capable newcomer."

"Really? Who's that?"

"That girl, Kina? She was the counselor for a group I worked with at summer camp a few years ago. She's good. Really good, at least with plans and dealing with setbacks," Ben explained, turning to head back to their original position.

Abby waited a moment and sighed again. "Numbuh Five just hopes she's good at _fighting_," she muttered, before starting off after him.


	3. The Future 3: Crash Course

It turned out that Numbuh Two was at the top of a steep hill, standing in front of a toppled building. As it came into view, Kina stopped and stared. The devastation was incredible. Other buildings had been reduced to rubble, or were tilted on their foundations. It looked like the apocalypse had come.

She supposed it had.

Numbuh Two shouted something, drawing her out of her reverie and spurring her into a run. She trotted over to him and stopped, breathing heavily.

"I'm glad you made it. Ben and Numbuh Five told me what's up, and that I should start a crash course in fighting and missions," he explained. "There's an Oil Ogre over there that stole something very important. You've gotta get it back!" He waved his arms in the air and grinned. "Did that sound real? Or do I need something else?"

"…huh?" was all Kina could say.

Hoagie laughed. "Like I said, I'm supposed to give you all the easiest mission I can. You're the first, and apparently the oldest, so how's that sound? Impressive? Good? Crash-coursey?"

"Uh… Yeah, I suppose. Although you might want to specify what important thing the… Oil Ogre grabbed," she pointed out.

"You're right, I guess. It can't be a sooper important mission without it being something sooper important." She could hear the odd spelling the Kids Next Door insisted on in his voice. He clapped and jumped in the air, startling her. "But really! You've gotta go get it, or we'll have a line."

She saluted and jogged around the corner, wondering what the heck an Oil Ogre looked like.

Oh. Oily and ogreish. That… made sense.

After ducking out of its sight, she spotted two things behind it. One was a small hunk of metal, the _sooper_ important thing, she guessed, and the other was a small plant that seemed to be made of… fusion matter.

As she looked, it spotted her, swiveling its grotesque lump of a head to face her with brilliant red eyes.

She would later swear that it grinned at her. With a yell, she brought up her rifle and sank several laser shots into its blobby form, driving it back a few steps. The creature narrowed its eyes and swept its arm at her, narrowly missing. It threw back its head, made a disgusting noise like it was going to hock a loogie, and spat fusion matter at her.

She danced back, although a gob hit her on the arm. It _burned_ like a son of a monkey and she screamed, nearly dropping her weapon. Gritting her teeth, she channeled her pain into rage and blasted the monster to kingdom come.

It let out a gurgle and disintegrated. This time, she held out her wrist, welcoming the rush of taros and fusion matter. She walked over to the object and picked it up, inspecting it.

The plant next to her shook. She turned and stared at it with wide eyes, not entirely sure what she was seeing, as a glob of goo split from it and started to grow into a semi-recognizable shape.

Eyes wide, she ran back to Numbuh Two. He smiled.

"Oh, good, you got it. Was it hard?"

She gave him a dirty look and held up her arm. "Yes, it was a challenge. But it started to grow back! I killed it and it was coming back!"

He looked unfazed. "Yeah, they do that. Fuse knows all and sees all, I guess." He shrugged. "We'll get someone to put more sooper important stuff out there for the others to find."

"So that was just a test? A _stoopid_ test?" she said, grip tightening on her rifle.

"Now, hold on!" Hoagie brought up his hands, eyes wide. "It's gonna get tougher than that once you get to the Suburbs. This is… Training! Yeah, training!"

She blinked and relaxed. "I guess I can see why that's a good idea. So, where do I go now?"

"_It's Buttercup. Come see me!_" A tiny voice issued from her Nanocom, startling both of them.

Kina's eyes widened as she looked at the holographic readout. "Buttercup? I thought you were gone! Disappeared! Knocked into the ocean by Mojo Jojo…"

"_Yeah, yeah, I've heard it once, I'll hear it a thousand times. We've got serious trouble, though. Dexter's gone missing! Get over here NOW!_" With that, the hologram disintegrated.

Hoagie and Kina exchanged a glance. "You'd better get over there," he said, stifling a snicker. "It sounds like a serious pain in the…Buttercup!" He dissolved into laughter as Kina rolled her eyes.

"Later," she muttered, raising a hand in farewell. She looked around, spotting the girl in green a bit farther up the hill, and jogged over.

"Good. You're here. Dex is gone. You look in the Infected Zone while I check out here," Buttercup ordered without a greeting.

Kina blinked. "Is this another training mission thing?" she asked, still cradling her rifle.

The girl only looked at her. "Not really. He has disappeared, but he was looking to create a… well, you'll find out. Now get going!" she demanded, giving Kina a shove in the right direction.

Kina pitched forward, managing to catch herself before she smashed her forehead on the raised platform of blue. In the center stood a Dexbot. It turned to face her with blank eyes.

"Hello, human. Would you like to enter the Infected Zone?" it intoned, voice flat.

"Uh, yeah."

"Please wait." It whirred, turned, and faced the gently glowing wall behind it. "This is the Infected Zone. Dexter created a way to contain the worst of the infection, creating these zones. Access to and from them can be found at platforms like this one."

"How does it work?" she asked, stepping back. The worst of the infection was in there? Where she was supposed to go?

"You are teleported in," it said in monotone. The world blurred around her, colors running together, shapes twisting until they were unrecognizable. She barely managed to stay on her feet, blinking rapidly to clear her sight. When she had recovered, she looked up and realized that she was on a different blue platform, in a different place.

Another Dexbot greeted her. "Do not step in the green areas," it cautioned. "These are pools of fusion matter. They burn."

"Got it," she responded, taking a look around. It seemed pretty simple. A few floating… Yes, they were floating, she realized as she rubbed her eyes. A few floating islands that led to something like a green pool with tentacles sticking out of it.

"That is the entrance to a Fusion's Lair," the robot informed her. "Dexter is inside."

"Oh joy," she muttered. After taking a quick breath, she ran and launched herself onto the first platform. The second and third were no harder, nor the fourth. She landed on her feet in the entrance to the lair, grimacing as cold green liquid covered her feet.

There was an odd sucking noise. The ground fell out from under her and she slid through the goop with barely enough time to close her eyes and mouth. She landed on all fours in another tentacled pool, which she quickly leapt out of.

"Thank goodness you've arrived! I'm over here!" Dexter called. Kina looked up into the medium darkness of the tunnel. She was underground, surrounded by brownish rock that was tinted green by the light and the fusion matter. Dexter stood a few yards in front of her. She shook her head and jogged over.

"Okay, now what?" she asked.

The boy genius gave her an odd look. "Well, first I want to ask how your training is going." When she raised an eyebrow, he raised his hands. "You are the oldest of the time travelers, and the first to come through. Remember that this is preparing everyone for survival outside of the semi-controlled conditions here."

"Controlled conditions. _Right_," she muttered, rolling her eyes.

Dexter frowned. "We are in the middle of a crisis here. This is the point at which _all_ of you will emerge. We have fought long and hard to keep it semi-safe!"

Kina listened, fascinated. His odd Russian accent became more noticeable the angrier he got, it seemed. She blinked and held up her own hands. "I'm sorry, Dexter. It's just a little… overwhelming, you know?"

He took a deep breath, visibly calming. "Yes, that is understandable," he agreed, nodding. "The last part of this course is to defeat Fusion Buttercup. Fusions are dark, twisted versions of our world's heroes," he continued, sounding authentic.

"That was good," Kina told him. "Very unrehearsed."

He gave her a small smile. "Thank you. But we do have to defeat her," he added, starting off down the tunnel. "She's up ahead. She shouldn't be much of a hassle. I'll distract her, you cover with rifle fire." With that, he dashed ahead.

Kina blinked in surprise before starting off after him. She heard him let out a yell and jolted into a run. She skidded around the corner and brought her rifle up.

Dexter was dodging a punch. Kina's eyes tracked from the fist up the arm, and finally took in the creature floating in front of her. It had jet black hair and bright red eyes, but the most disturbing part was the green skin. It glowed faintly, different hues swimming just under the surface.

She suppressed a shudder, took aim, and fired three shots. The head. The arm. The chest.

It stopped attacking Dexter, turned to stare at her with a half-ruined face. It broke into a twisted smile and reached for her with its good arm.

She shouted, an unintelligible sound, and slammed her finger on the trigger seven more times. When the smoke cleared, the Fusion was gone, little more than fusion matter splattered on the ground.

Dexter stared at her, expression blank. Slowly, he took off his glasses, brought out a cloth, and cleaned them off.

Her chest rose and fell, heaving air in and out. She felt lightheaded and dropped the nose of her rifle to the ground, using it as a crutch.

After carefully inspecting his spectacles, he replaced them and looked at her evenly. "Impressive," he said, and nodded at the spatter. "It's taking it a while to register."

"Huh?" she replied, nearly falling over.

Dexter raised an eyebrow. "The fusion matter. You've filled the meter in your Nanocom, and you've defeated a certain Fusion." He turned and looked at the remains, nodding once again. "Here we go. Nano time."

"What-now time?" she asked. Her question was answered by her Nanocom. The collected fusion matter spiraled out of it, combining with what remained of Fusion Buttercup. There was a flash of light so bright it made Kina close her eyes.

When she opened them, a small version of Buttercup was floating in front of her. She recoiled, trying to bring up her rifle, hitting it against a rock, and ending up sprawled on the floor.

"The heck is that?!" she cried.

Dexter suppressed a snicker. "This is a nano. She might be small, but she packs quite a punch. You can choose one of three powers for her to wield. You can change it at any time, but bear in mind that it costs fusion matter."

"What can she do?"

"I can hit guys real hard if you want 'em stunned. Or I guess I could help you find more fusion matter, and encourage people to give you more… But I like the first one!" the little nano shouted.

Kina stared at Dexter, eyes wide. "It talks."

"Yes. Apparently, this one is a bit glitched, too. She seems to have taken on a more severe aspect of Buttercup's personality."

"Ah… okay, then. Let's go with the first one," she said, looking at the nano out of the corner of her eye.

"Sweet." Nano Buttercup looked smug.

"You can summon or dismiss her by programming a code word on your Nanocom, and then simply ask her to activate her power," Dexter explained. "She's set as your number one nano right now. The code word will apply to the nano slot, not Nano Buttercup herself."

"Uh… Nano One. N One. None? Will that work?"

"Whenever you say the word, she'll come out. Bear that in mind."

"Eh… En One," she said, annunciating clearly.

"Aww, but I was just getting started!" whined Nano Buttercup as she disappeared.

Kina blinked. "Where'd she go?"

"She's been converted to data on your Nanocom. The same goes for any equipment you collect while going around, or from mission rewards. You can store two weapons and switch between them almost instantaneously, or equip different ones in the data spots. Your Nanocom can also tell you weapon damage specs or clothing defense stats," Dexter explained. He looked over his shoulder and sighed. "It appears that the next kid is coming in now. Step onto the teleportation platform. It'll take you up to a secure spot."

"What about you?" she asked, concern edging into her voice.

He smiled. "I'll have new recruits coming through every few minutes. While it will be annoying, and Fusion Buttercup-" He saw the look on her face and paused. "Yes, she will be regrown. Fuse is… ingenious that way. In any event, she's a small threat. I might be up for dinnertime, who really knows?" He made a gesture, and the odd feeling of teleportation took her again.

She was ready this time, placing her feet in a wide stance and closing her eyes against the disorienting blurs. For a moment, there was nothing beneath her feet. She felt like she was speeding along, faster than anything on earth, and then, solid. Grounded. A breeze touched her face and she opened her eyes.

She was at the top of DexLabs, just outside the strange house that perched on the roof. She swallowed and sank to her knees, the adrenaline that had been forcing her along since she'd arrived in the future draining out of her system.

God, she was in need of coffee. She pulled herself up, using the rifle as a crutch again, silently promising herself that she'd stop doing that soon. After taking a cursory glance around, she hobbled to the edge.

It was a bleak landscape. Buildings were tilted, some of them dropping as they sank into glowing green pools. Other landmarks that she remembered had disappeared entirely, either absorbed or destroyed. Her throat clenched as she thought of her home, her family. Of the Suburbs and the Wilds and the rest of Downtown. What of the rest of the world? How much remained? Was this tiny patch of earth and metal the last bastion against the invasion?

No. she squinted and looked north. There, separated from her island by a river of fusion matter, sat another island. Pokey Oaks, perhaps, or even Genius Grove. Who knew? But even that tiny knowledge that somewhere else was safe settled her heart. She allowed herself a relieved smile before turning and walking into the house.

If this had been before the time traveling mishap, she might have been surprised to find nothing but a set of stairs. At this point, though, she doubted she could be startled by anything.

And yet, the cry that tore itself from her throat when she arrived at the bottom proved her wrong. She'd expected no one else to be in the room, yet found herself face to face with Samurai Jack, Numbuh One, Blossom, and Bubbles. Her jaw dropped.

"Hello, young one," Jack said with a small smile and a bow. "I regret that I must leave."

Kina watched him out of the corner of her eyes as he swept past her and walked up the stairs. Her gaze lingered on the shining blade in his hand.

"Yes, well. Welcome to the future, Miss Brightstream. We hope you're willing to fight," Numbuh One said, voice clipped. The dark look on his face revealed much.

Kina raised an eyebrow. "With all due respect, sir, Numbuh Five didn't seem too put off about me being an adult. I'm perfectly willing to fight. This goes beyond kids versus adults, wouldn't you say?"

He adjusted his sunglasses and shot her a smile. "Just checking your commitment to the cause. We have been working with a few adults, even some of our worst enemies, in the fight against Fuse. However," he said, crossing his arms, "most adults either turned and ran at the first sign of trouble or tried to ignore the problem altogether. Not the most helpful thing in the world."

"Kids are more adaptable, less likely to stick their head in the sand," Kina returned, shrugging. "You can't really blame them for trying to continue their normal lives. In fact, the only reason I'm okay is because I just got sent through time. When you've done the impossible once, impossible things seem vastly more plausible, if you know what I mean."

"Agreed. I believe you'll be a fine addition to our forces, Miss Brightstream."

"It's Kina. Please."

His eyebrows shot up. "Kina? The camp counselor?"

She tilted her head to the side, giving him a smile of her own. "Yes. You were all in my group a year… three years ago. At least, you would have been if you'd stuck around," she said, crossing her arms.

"Ah, yes. Sorry about that… Duty calling and all that." Nigel Uno blushed. "We heard afterwards that you were one of the good ones. Numbuh Three felt especially bad about abandoning you, as did we all after hearing about what happened to Ed."

"No worries. All in the past, ne?" She shook his hand and watched him leave the room as well, wondering how old he was at this point. Thirteen? Fourteen? Weren't Kids Next Door Operatives decommissioned at thirteen?

"With their Moonbase out of contact and a global war going on, they suspended normal procedures a couple years ago," Blossom said, answering Kina's unvoiced question. "It's been a hard fight."

"Blossom, Buttercup just called in and told us to get out there. There's a perimeter breach in the south," Bubbles said, blue eyes wide. Blossom nodded at Kina as Bubbles waved, and they flew out of the room leaving her alone.

She stood in the center and looked around. A few comfy chairs. A table. And…

A coffee maker. She sent a thank you to whoever stocked the room and fell into the ritual of making a pot of coffee. Slowly, her muscles relaxed, tension draining out of her, leaving her calm, collected.

Once the coffee was bubbling away, she turned and hopped up on the counter. Kina stretched and stopped, looking at her Nanocom. It was clunky, especially on her thin wrist. She fiddled with it, pressing the single button she could find.

A holographic screen appeared in front of her. She recoiled, striking the back of her head on the cupboard behind her. She swore under her breath, rubbing the sore spot, before turning her attention to the readout.

It showed a rendering of her body, complete with her clothing and accessories. She poked at the shirt and watched in amazement as its defensive stats were displayed. She did the same with her shoes and pants, laughing at the descriptions. She then turned her attention to her weapon, whose picture was shown in the 'Weapon One' slot. It wasn't too powerful, but would do respectable damage to a single target.

She noticed the other 'slots' just waiting to be filled with item data. After a moment of thought, she decided to try something.

"Nanocom. Can I program the command to switch between weapons?"

"_Go ahead_." It was a voice she'd never heard, dispassionate and flat.

"Doub-switch," she said, as clearly as possible. Weapon switch. W switch. Doub-switch. It was short, but probably wouldn't come up in conversation. She also programmed _En Two_ and _En Three_ as her second and third nano commands, and moved Nano Buttercup to position two once she'd opened the file on nano and monster types.

She switched weapons, leaving only her empty fists, and explored the other features of her Nanocom. It functioned as a communicator, like a phone with little holograms that showed the speaker, and had e-mail capabilities. Further investigation revealed that she could send items and taros through the system. She keyed over to the journal, which had space to keep track of six missions total, and down to the map. When it opened, she suppressed a gasp. Everything was green, save Sector V, Pokey Oaks North and South, Genius Grove, Peach Creek Commons and Estates, and most of Goat's Junk Yard and Candy Cove. Some sections were outlined in pulsating blue. Infected Zones, she thought, though that would mean almost all of Goat's was infected.

The coffee maker gurgled, jerking her out of her fascination. She blinked and pressed the button, closing down the screen. As an afterthought, she glanced at the Nanocom's face. It displayed a line showing how full her Fusion Matter Meter was, a readout of her taros, and it told the time. Dexter truly was a genius.


	4. Interlude 1

So, did you enjoy the nice long chapter three? I'll be trying to update more regularly, like once every two weeks or so, until I can be a little more regular.

You may have noticed that I talk about Kina's past, and will talk about other characters' pasts once they're introduced. Their individual stories will be elaborated on in the Interludes, little chapters that take place before the Invasion, sometimes by a few months, sometimes by years. I originally wrote them to help myself understand their personalities, but I found that they were pretty important little moments. This is the first of the Interludes, focusing on Kina and her time as a camp counselor... So, read on! I hope you enjoy!

_

* * *

_

_One year, eleven months before the Invasion..._

Kina Brightstream cleared her throat and picked at her waistband, trying not to let her nerves show. She swallowed, lifted her clipboard, and tugged at the uncomfortable collar of her staff shirt. They were brilliant yellow, the shirts. Polo style. Stiff. With cuffs that were too tight on her biceps.

After a moment, she realized that no one was listening to her. With a tiny sigh, she lifted one hand and shoved her bangs out of her face. Her hair was green, of all things. At least it was dark, nearly black. Who knew where that particular trait had come from.

She cleared her throat again, louder this time, drawing the attention of a few of the kids. The rest continued to chatter on, about the bus ride, the camp, the world at large. Kina closed her eyes and shook her head. Ah, the joy of being sixteen and a camp counselor. Would the greatness never cease?

"Hey," she said, voice light but loud. "If you guys want to go anywhere, you've gotta be quiet and listen to some rules, 'kay?"

The noise faltered for a moment as they all stared at her. The silence lasted barely a second when a boy in a bright yellow shirt started crowing about jawbreakers. Kina rubbed her temple, taking a glance at the other groups. None of them were having problems. In fact, the six and seven year olds were already sitting in a circle, playing name games. And here she was, unable to even get her group's attention.

She looked back out at them, assessing. There weren't very many of them. A girl with blond hair in a pink outfit, sitting with a boy (who had the largest nose she had ever seen). And was it just her eyes, or was there a bone sticking out of her backpack? Kina shook her head and looked at the rest. A boy with a plank of wood. A group of five kids, who she recognized as Kids Next Door Operatives. Sector... E? V? Something like that. They watched her with dark gazes, muttering among themselves. She winced, hoping they wouldn't see her as an agent of adult tyranny. Really, she wasn't.

Several others, not really speaking, but not paying attention, either. She let her gaze wander to the last little group. The short boy in yellow was gesturing wildly, apparently outlining some grand scheme. The tall one in green was staring at a butterfly. And the boy in red, who had refused to take off his beanie no matter what, was nodding in time with the short one's pauses.

His eyes, however, were locked on hers. She blinked as he gave her a small, exasperated smile, revealing a hint of a gap between his front teeth. Unable to help herself, she gave him a little grin back. He blinked, a look of surprise flashing across his face, and looked away. Kina raised an eyebrow but decided to let it go.

"Hey!" she called. "Listen up!"

No one did. She felt a bubble of anger rise in her chest, tried to quash it. She didn't like working with ten to twelve year olds. They really never listened to her, especially since she was so young. It didn't help that she didn't have an assistant. They'd promised her a Program Aide, one of the kids a little too old for camp that were also too young to work there. Ben Tennyson, they'd said. A stand-up guy, if a little forgetful. Low and behold, he'd forgotten that camp started today.

"Hey, dweebs, shut up and listen to the girl," came a low, even voice. Kina stared at the blond girl as the others quieted.

The big nosed boy giggled and pulled the- yes, it was a bone- out of the backpack. The girl rolled her eyes.

"Come on, Billy, let's blow this popsicle stand. Grim, get us out of here."

Kina coughed, eyes as wide as those of her young charges. She blinked, recovered, and tapped her clipboard. "Okay then. Let's... take attendance. Billy and... Mandy are absent, I guess. Is Nigel here?"

The KND Operative in the sunglasses started to raise his hand, then stopped as a beeping came from his pocket. He pulled out a phone (that seemed to be made of a block of wood, chewing gum, and some buttons) and broke into a smile.

"Sorry, but we've got to go. Saving the world for kid-kind and all that." He gave her a quick, mocking salute, and the five ran off.

She sighed and crossed off their names, looking at the rapidly shortening list. "Is there an Ed here?" she asked, fearing the response.

With good reason, it seems, as one hand went up, followed by another, and a slower third. She looked up to see the boys in yellow, green, and red, the last with a sheepish grin on his face.

"Which do you mean?" he asked. "There's Ed," he continued, pointing at the one in green, "Eddy." The one in yellow. "And me. Double-D."

"I see," she replied, looking down at her sheet and marking the three names. She continued on down the list, finding no further problems (except at the very last, when Jonny came up to her and asked why Plank hadn't been on the list. In the end, she'd put his name on the list).

Once she'd turned in the attendance sheet, she returned to her small group. "Alright, here's the plan. We'll get everyone settled into the cabin, then play a few ice breakers. After that, we can figure out what you want to do with your week. We're in Cabin 3, so let's move out."

"Hold on!" came a voice. "Wait up!"

Kina turned to see a jogging figure. He had tousled brown hair and brilliant green eyes. He wore a green and black jacket over a white and black tee, coupled with brown, baggy shorts. As he caught up to the group, he gave her an apologetic look.

"Sorry about being late." He ran a hand through his hair and glanced at the campers. "I'm Ben. Wow, not a big group this year, huh. So, Cabin 3? That's one of the best. I dropped my stuff off already and came straight here..."

Kina held up a hand, stopping him. "Slow down, kid. We've... scratched a few names, you could say. Everyone else is heading up to the cabin now. If you want to join us..."

He grinned and nodded. "Yeah. Probably a good idea, huh?" Ben let his gaze stray to the campers as they struggled with their bags. "Uh... Should we help them?" he asked, looking pointedly at Double-D and his gigantic pack.

The girl spared them a look and sighed. "It's their own fault for bringing so much junk, but... Yeah, I suppose we should."


	5. The Future 4: Dapple Gray

Hmm. You'd think it was a given, but I should include a disclaimer: I don't own FusionFall, nor any of the Cartoon Network characters associated with it.

* * *

She was curled up in one of the chairs sipping coffee from a mug when the first kid arrived. He walked down the stairs, blinking against the fluorescent lights. They stared at each other, not quite sure what to do next.

He raised a hand in a little wave and smiled. "Uh, hi. I'm Tal Lightsworn."

"Kina Brightstream. How're you doing?" She put aside her mug and stood, stretching out to shake his hand.

"Eh, I'll manage. I've known Dex for a few years. Crazy stuff like this happens all the time," he muttered, though a dark look had flashed through his eyes.

Kina let the look slide and sat back down. "Yeah, well, this is the craziest stuff I've ever seen. Time travel. Alien invasion. Boy oh boy, when I woke up this morning, I had _no_ clue what I was getting myself into."

"I don't think any of us did," the boy responded, heading over to the counter. He poured himself a cup of coffee and stirred in sugar and milk.

Kina raised an eyebrow. "How old're you?" she asked, looking pointedly at the coffee.

He grinned. "Well, if you're going by what year it is, I turned seventeen last month. But I'm really fourteen. Nearly fifteen." Tal looked over at her and shook his head. "And how old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"What? But you're so…" He blushed, stopping himself at the last second, and hid his embarrassment by taking a gulp of coffee.

"Short? Yeah. When people guess my age, they put me anywhere from sixteen to twenty-two," she admitted with a laugh. "Don't worry about it. Pull up a chair or something."

He set the mug down and shook his head. "No thanks. There are a few bedrooms down below. I think I'll go get some sleep," he said.

Kina gave him a wave as he left through a previously hidden door. She thought about following him before resigning herself to becoming the welcoming committee, as another kid started walking down the stairs.

A hundred kids later, it was Dexter who emerged from the stairway. His face was pinched, dark circles showing under his glasses.

Kina stood, automatically poured him a cup of coffee, and pushed it into his hands. He gave her a grateful look and sipped the bitter liquid without the hint of a grimace.

"Coffee," Kina murmured. "The magic drink that cures all ills."

"If only," Dexter returned, sitting in one of the stiffer chairs. Kina raised an eyebrow but sank into her own soft chair. "The first round is over. I spread the experiment over two days to make sure I would have enough data points. It's nearly pure luck that I decided to exclude late night arrivals."

Kina glanced at her Nanocom. It was almost midnight. She looked back at Dexter and shook her head. "What happens next?" she asked.

"Once everyone has arrived, we can have a war meeting. Then, we'll send everyone out of here, to the Suburbs. It's marginally safer there." He rubbed his temples, closing his eyes. "Where is everyone else?"

"They went down to bed," she responded. "Some of them were a little pumped up, but I talked them into getting some shuteye. You should too, you know," she said, tilting her head. "You look exhausted."

"I've never needed much sleep," he countered before groaning. "But as I get older, I find it more alluring."

"Ah, teenagers. If we could hibernate, we would," she said with a laugh. "That's normal, Dex. No worries."

He sighed and opened his eyes. "Of course. However, I can't waste any time. I have a plan that may save the past, provided that events tilt in our favor due to your arrival."

"Save the past?"

He shot her a look. "If time travel to the future is possible, why not the past?"

"Isn't there a…"

"I am a genius, Miss Brightstream. There's no arguing with me."

Kina arched her eyebrow but said nothing. Dexter sighed and dropped his head to his hands.

"Yes, I know about the paradox. I know it very well and have grappled with it all day, but I think I've found a solution. However, the task at hand is simple. Get the others, brief everyone, and get out of here." His voice cracked. "We may have to abandon Tech Square entirely, which leaves a great risk that Fuse will get its hands on my work."

"That would be very bad," inferred Kina, leaning forward.

Dexter nodded. He took a deep breath and sat back up, giving her a level stare. "Why am I telling you this? I hardly know you."

"I have that effect on people," she answered. "I've got an open face or something. People tell me their troubles all the time, or I force them to. Looks like geniuses aren't exempt."

He rewarded her with a short bark of laughter. "Indeed, Miss Brightstream, it would seem so."

"Kina."

"Pardon?"

"Please, call me Kina. I don't get why everyone insists on the 'Miss' thing. You'd think I was a teacher."

"Perhaps I could call you Brightstream. I am not generally on first name basis with any but my closest friends," he explained.

She thought about it and nodded. "Whatever floats your boat. So long as I'm not Miss anything. Heck, you could call me Hey You and I'd be happy."

A knock at the lower door caused them both to jump. Dexter called for them to come in and the door slid open, revealing a tired Tal Lightsworn. He grinned at Dex and leaned against the doorframe.

"It's good to see you," he said.

Dexter smiled. "And you. What's the matter, Tal? Shouldn't you be sleeping like a log?"

"I would, but the younger kids are crying and I have no clue what to do. I figured I'd come sleep up here, if you don't mind."

"Not at all," Dexter returned, standing. "I should go to the lab and work on-"

"No, you should stay up here and get some sleep," Kina interrupted, standing as well. When Dexter opened his mouth to protest, she raised a hand and closed her eyes. "Nope. You'll do better when you've had a little rest. You can work on whatever pressing issue it is tomorrow night. For now, your health is priority."

"I at least need to alert Computress about the unhappy children," he muttered, sounded like a petulant child.

Kina suppressed a grin. "I'll take care of that. Tal, he's your friend. Get him to sleep," she said.

The boy raised an eyebrow but put a hand on Dexter's shoulder. "She's right. Knowing you, you haven't slept for a week."

"It has been a while," he admitted, allowing Tal to push him onto a couch. "Perhaps a few hours will be helpful…"

Tal gave the girl a thumbs up. Kina smiled back and headed down the stairs. He'd been right; she could hear the crying two floors up. She walked into the room and took a look at the kids curled up on multitudes of cots. Some appeared to be asleep while others were awake and bawling.

She sighed and leaned against the wall, sliding down until she was seated on the floor. She closed her eyes and hummed a few strains of song.

"_Hush a bye, don't you cry._

"_Go to sleep-y little baby._

"_When you wake, you shall have,_

"_All the pretty little horses._

"_Blacks and bays, dapple grays,_

"_Coach and six white horses._

"_Hush a bye, don't you cry,_

"_Go to sleep-y little baby._"

Slowly, her words began to blur together until she lapsed back into a hum. Her head lolled to the side, resting on her shoulder, and she slipped silently into slumber.

The crying had stopped.

* * *

A/N: As you've seen, I'm including some songs in the mix. They are Kina singing almost all the time, and I'll be sure to include the original author when I know it. In this case, the song is Pretty Little Horses, which is a lullaby. I don't know where or who it originally came from, but it's apparently a good song for getting children to fall asleep!


	6. Interlude 2

_Two years, one month after the Invasion..._

Tal waited until the girl had left the room, eyes locked on her retreating back. He crossed his arms and turned to face Dexter, face losing its jovial look.

"By all means, ask what you're thinking," Dexter prompted, staring up at him from behind his glasses.

Tal spared him a quick smile, sobering just a fast. "When did this happen, exactly? What day, what month?"

The boy genius looked down at the floor. "It's as you fear. It happened on June 28th. Your birthday."

There was a loud thump as Tal drove his fist into the table, ignoring the burst of pain. Dexter looked up sharply, gaze locking on his friend. The boy's face was livid, eyes blazing and mouth set in a grim line. His arm trembled, locked against the wood as though trying to break through.

"Tal? Are you going to be alright?" Dexter asked, rising.

The boy shut his eyes, tears leaking from beneath the tight lids. His arm crumpled and he leaned onto the table, head bowed. He swore, over and over, before falling silent.

Dexter stood beside him, unsure of what to do.

After a minute, Tal straightened and fixed his friend with a dark stare. "So the Devourer has come, huh? Guess I shouldn't have volunteered for that experiment after all."

"I doubt you would have made a difference," Dexter replied, returning Tal's look with a blank one. "One person could not have made a difference..."

"You don't know that," he burst out, slapping his hand against the table. "How can you possibly know that? Maybe I could have done something! I'm supposed to fight him, to protect everyone...!" His voice cracked and he stopped, staring with wide eyes at the boy genius.

"I know what you've been told you destiny is, but I cannot believe that a single sword could have made a difference." Dexter closed his eyes, rubbing his temple. "Though I suppose we'll find out what several hundred can do..." he continued.

"What d'you mean by that?" Tal asked, relaxing. Here was something familiar- having no clue what his friend was talking about.

"I plan on sending all of you back and preventing this future from happening." He smiled.

"What?"

"Never mind. It's nothing of concern. For now, we should probably take Brightstream's advice. Sleep would indeed do us good." Dexter sat down on the couch, casually staking his claim.

Tal rolled his eyes. Typical of him, to take the most comfortable spot in the room. He sighed and sank into one of the overstuffed chairs, leaned his head back, and closed his eyes. The lights dimmed automatically, probably Computress's doing. It had been a long day... But something was bothering him.

"Dex?"

"What?" The boy genius sounded surly.

Tal cracked an eye open and looked over at the couch, where the other boy had stretched out. He blinked. "Were you scared?"

"What?" He now sounded surprised, and almost angry.

"When the Devourer... Fuse... showed up. Were you scared?"

It took a while for him to answer. "...yes, I was, but I swallowed it in order to fight."

"And when we disappeared into the time stream?"

An even longer pause. "...yes. I was very scared."

"And how did you get over it?"

"I didn't." Dexter sat up and gave Tal a long look. "I never stopped being afraid until Brightstream showed up this morning."

"So why are you still scared now?"

Utter silence. Finally; "Am I that transparent?"

"To me you are. You've changed since... since, but I can tell that you're scared of something."

Dexter looked up at the ceiling. "It's nothing that concerns you."

"You're my friend. It concerns me, so spill."

"I..." Dexter turned and looked at Tal, who opened his other eye and sat up, waiting. "I am... I'm afraid of tomorrow."

"What's tomorrow?"

He let out a short, bitter laugh. "It's been every tomorrow for two years. The end of the world, Tal. That's what tomorrow always is now."

"I'll stop it," Tal said, without thought, without hesitation, drawing a thoughtful glance from Dexter.

"Yes. You will," the boy said, and oddly, he felt calmer. He sighed and leaned back. "Now, goodnight, Tal."

"Yeah, you, too, Dex. See you in the morning."


	7. The Future 5: Hush

Another day. Another several hundred kids. Where Dexter had found all the willing subjects, Kina would never know. She waited in the first room at DexLabs, welcoming the new kids, comforting the young ones, and entertaining everyone else. When Dexter finally called to tell her that the last kid was on his way up, she nearly cried with relief. By that point, it was one in the morning.

"Not too late at night, my foot!" Kina cried as Dexter came in. He gave her a sheepish smile and shrugged.

"What can I say? My perception of late apparently differs from yours."

"Yeah, well, why're you in so late?" She crossed her arms, tapping her foot. "I've already put all the kids to bed and had to find a place for the last one, comfort him, then get all the ones who woke up back to sleep! Yeesh!"

"I was securing the lab. There's still work to be done, but…" He trailed off and sank into one of the overstuffed chairs, removing his glasses. "I'm so tired. I started making mistakes. In my business, mistakes are often deadly."

"No kidding," Kina said before sitting in another of the chairs. "Anything in particular?"

He gave her a weary look. "Nothing I can really say. I've wiped most of the hard drives. The only things still remaining are the programs to maintain the Infected Zone, the building power sources, the remaining Dexbots here, and some special projects," he explained. "I'll delete those when we pull out."

"We're totally abandoning Tech Square?"

"There's no way around it. We've lost too many defending it, and, at this point, it's a lost cause. What can we do but cut our losses?" he asked. After a minute, he continued, voice small. "I never wanted this. Yes, I can let my genius shine, but all this? War and fighting and death? We were kids. We weren't cut out for this, so who were we to make sound decisions?"

"Dexter?"

"Hush. I'll be fine." He wiped a gloved hand across his eyes, but that didn't stop the tears from springing back up. "So many wrong choices. Sacrifices. Mistakes. By sending back information, and all of you, we can stop this from happening."

"But…"

"Hush. I know. Just listen. No matter what happens, you must do as I say." He put his glasses back on and stood as a ringing split the night air.

"What's going on?" Kina asked, leaping to her feet.

Dexter sent her a worn smile. "The end of an era, that's what. Ben, report," he snapped, staring at the wall. A vid screen flickered to life, revealing the brown-haired boy.

"We've got hostiles coming in from all sides. Abby, Hoagie, Buttercup, and Jack are down getting everyone up to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R.s. Everyone else is out here fighting. Dex, you've got about ten minutes. That's all we can buy," he said, sadness cloaking his features. "I think this is goodbye."

"…you may be right," Dexter admitted, looking away. "Good bye, Ben. Go well." With that, the screen flickered out.

"Doub-switch," Kina muttered, her Lightning Gun appearing in her hands. Dexter smiled.

"Good choice. Let's get outside and make sure everyone is clear to come up."

They ran up the stairs, finding with relief the roof bare of monsters. A fleet of S.C.A.M.P.E.R.s landed on bare patches and hovered just over the top, waiting to take the time travelers away. They burst from the building, sprinting for the flying vehicles, ushered on by Numbuh's Five and Two, Samurai Jack, and Buttercup.

"Everyone, make sure that they're safe. There's a group of monsters scaling the south wall. Take them down," Dexter ordered, sending the four heroes on their way. He watched them go, sorrow in his eyes.

"Dexter?" Kina asked, standing at his side. "What're you going to do?"

"I'm heading down to the lab. Whatever happens, get everyone out of here. If I'm not back up by the time the last ship leaves, leave. Do you understand?"

"But Dex, that's a dea-"

"Do you understand?" he asked again, giving her a fierce look of determination.

Her chest constricted, stopping her cold. She blinked at him, silent, as tears sprang into her eyes. "I understand, Dexter. Be careful."

"Go well, Kina. You'll see me again." With that, he stepped onto the teleporter platform and disappeared. She stared at the empty space for a long minute before shouts of fear shocked her from her reverie.

She turned to see a mechanical bat-creature descending on the crowds of children, followed by several others. With a feral cry, she brought up her rifle and shot at it, drawing its attention.

"Get going!" she screamed at the kids, sprinting across the roof to get closer to the monster. She pulled back on the trigger, sending balls of electricity into it, though it had little effect.

"En two!" she spat. Her Nanocom heated against her wrist as her nano manifested, letting out a little cry.

"Yikes! The heck you doin', lady?" she shouted, dancing away from the monter's claw.

"Fighting. Stun it!" Kina cried. The little nano grinned and attacked the huge monster, putting it out of commission long enough to be destroyed.

Caught up in her relief, Kina hardly noticed the wing beats behind her. She turned as the claws descended, a shriek on her lips.

In a flash of light, the monster was sent tumbling. Kina's eyes widened as she saw her savior. The boy lowered his rifle and met her gaze.

"Where's Dexter?" Tal asked.

"Below. He said leave without him," Kina explained. She paused. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." He turned and shot at another monster, impassive. "Leave without him. Typical."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. With that, she resumed blasting the monsters to kingdom come.

"Hey, you two! Get to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R! Hurry!" Hoagie's voice carried over the sound of their guns, pulling them towards his ship. Kina had her nano stun the remaining monsters before dismissing her.

"Dex is still down there," Tal said as they dove into the vehicle.

"I know," Numbuh Two replied. "We can't wait any longer. We're pushing it as it is. We've gotta get the others." With that, he launched the ship and angled it down, nearly crashing into the ground as the three other heroes leaped and flew aboard.

Kina and Tal stood at the open door of the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., watching Tech Square recede behind them. There was a rumble that shook the ship and a dust cloud, coupled with an immense cracking sound. With that, DexLabs sank into the sea of fusion matter, leaving not even a ripple in its wake.

"He's gone," Tal whispered.

Kina put her hand on his shoulder and drew him closer. "I know. They all are."

"Do not write me off so easily. I have at least five minutes left. Plenty of time." Dexter's voice issued from Kina's Nanocom. She cried out in excitement, though it quickly faded when she caught the look in his holographic eyes. Of course. She would see him again, either as a hologram or in the past. He would not be seeing her.

"I've contacted Numbuh Two and Mandark with the details concerning my plan. They will be able to put it into practice and use it to send you back to the past," he explained. "You must save the past in order to save your future."

There it was. The odd choice of words. What did it mean?

"Dexter…?" Tal began, but was cut short by a rumble from Dexter's end.

"I'm sorry. I've got to go," he said, stumbling. "There's still a couple of things left to do."

With that, the connection was severed, and the six were left alone, flying through a green tinted sky.


	8. The Future 6: Wooden Machine

They landed in Sector V amid cheers. Numbuh Two piloted the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. down without trouble and sat at the controls, crying quietly. Numbuh Five stood at his side, one hand on his shoulder, one tugging on her hat. Samurai Jack stood in one corner, eyes closed, lips moving in silence. Buttercup had an angry look on her face and she flew out of the vehicle, breaking the sound barrier a few seconds later. Tal and Kina exchanged a weary glance and stepped out, welcomed by pats and hugs, not really paying attention.

"_Make your way to the south-west side of the Monument_," came Computress's voice from Tal's Nanocom. "_I await your arrival_."

They did as they were told, completely numb. Kina spared a glance at the Monument, taking in the holograms that stood above its five arms. They changed every ten seconds or so, displaying another face, another person. That kid from the cul-de-sac, Edd. A short roundish blob she thought was an imaginary friend. A kid with a big nose and a red hat. And…

Dexter. Tears sprang into her eyes. She blinked rapidly, trying in vain to clear them away, and wound up swiping one hand across her face. If Tal noticed, he gave no sign.

"There you are. Thank you for coming so fast. You both did very well under the circumstances," Computress greeted them, a sober expression on her holographic face.

Tal rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. "Not as well as I'd have liked. How many were left?"

Computress blinked. She paused before answering. "All of the time travelers were lifted to safety. All others are listed as missing."

"How many are missing?" Kina prodded, voice weary.

"Numbuh One. Blossom. Bubbles. Many Dexbots. Several others."

"And Dexter?" Tal asked, hands tightening on his weapon.

A look of sadness passed across the robot's face. "He has been out of contact since the connection to Akinas Brightstream's Nanocom," she explained. "He is presumed… missing."

"I see. So that monument is…" Kina trailed off, staring at it. Tal followed her gaze, taking in the massive list of names carved into the stone around and on the Monument.

"The missing. The dead. All are lumped together now, since bodies are rarely found to confirm death," Computress said. Although she delivered it in her usual calm voice, her face appeared to be wracked with pain. "It is a very long list."

"I bet it is," Tal muttered, looking around. What he saw was disconcerting, to say the least. Houses had holes punched in them, falling down, little more than frames and rotting shingles. Terrafusers sat everywhere like hunched goblins, ready to devour everything they touched. Moving at the edges of the light, just inside the shadowed expanse of Sector V, were odd shapes. Some small, making little gremlin-noises as they prowled. Others were large, snapping, crackling, floating above the broken earth.

Kina held in a gasp as she chanced a look at the Treehouse. It seemed to have been scooped up, along with the ground surrounding it, and floated into the air. Huge chains and zip-lines tethered it to the ground. As she watched, a kid ran up to a mushroom-like contraption, jumped on it, and was launched into the air.

"Yes. Well, to business, then. You must help Numbuh Two construct the time machine that will return you all to the past," Computress explained. "He contacted me with the first task. Retrieve five piles of 2x4s for his… technology. They are located northeast of here. Exercise caution. There are minions of Fuse in that area."

"Five piles each?" Tal asked, incredulous.

"Yes. He apparently needs a lot of wood to build a time machine," the robot replied, barely keeping the disdain from showing on her face. "You can scan it into your Nanocom as you would any other item."

"I see. Uh, thanks, Computress. It'll be okay," Kina said, fingering her weapon.

Computress smiled. "Of course it will," her calm voice returned, before she made her way over to several other new recruits.

* * *

"So… piles of wood, eh?" Kina asked, walking beside Tal. He raised an eyebrow.

"Y…yeah. Wood. For a time machine." He shook his head. "Dex must be freaking out right now, wherever he is. The Kids Next Door might be great at fighting adult tyranny, but…"

"Their weaponry and tech leave something to be desired," finished Kina, grinning. "At the very least, I can vouch for the effectiveness of their weapons. Living here in Sector V, I rarely got bothered by teens or adults."

"That's… good." Tal stopped, motioning for her to do so as well. He pointed into a puddle of green goo, spotting the sought-after goods. "See it? Why the heck is it in the middle of that gunk?"

"I see it. Shoot. Well, do you want to get poisoned or should I?"

He braced himself and, without a word, walked into the mess. He felt it immediately cling to his pants, which shielded him from the worst of the effects. It was the cloying mist that rose from the fusion matter that was the real problem. He held his breath, but couldn't help the little gasp that followed the pain of it touching his bare arms.

He grit his teeth, forced himself to move forward, and finally arrived at the pile of wood. A press of a button, and it was scanned into his Nanocom. He turned and ran out of the goo as quickly as he could, gasping for clear air as soon as he hit it.

"Jees," he growled between breaths. "That stuff's horrible. Ugh." He doubled over, clutching his stomach.

"You okay?" Kina asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. Concern shone from her face.

He stiffened and looked up at her, grimacing. "Uh, yeah. I think I'll be fine," he muttered, turning away to hide the faint blush that sprang into his cheeks.

"Good. If you need water, I snagged some from DexLabs night before last. Scanned it. I think it's still good," she mused, fiddling with her Nanocom.

"Nah, I'm okay. Let's get some more materials," he responded, standing as the cramp melted away. He looked around, spotting another pile, this one guarded by several Shocktanglers.

"Cool. Let's get 'em," Kina said, raising her weapon. Before she could shoot, her eyes widened and she dropped the rifle's nose, pointing to the other side of the road instead. "Woah," she murmured, wandering over.

"Woah what?"

"Look. See? Huge drop off. Straight down into fusion matter, looks like." She peered over the edge and whistled. "Gotta be at least fifty feet, maybe more, who knows?"

Tal looked, shuddering. The swirling mists reminded him of that horrible picture, The Devourer. He shook his head and backed away, just happening to glance to the right.

"Check out this kid," he whispered, nudging Kina. She looked up, spotting the girl. She was running along the very edge of the land, not really looking where she was going.

"She's gonna fall…" Kina murmured, already starting forward. As she moved, the girl placed her foot wrong and, with a yelp, tilted out over the cliff.

In a split second, Kina went from starting to zooming. She leaped for the girl, managing to catch hold of her left ankle. The girl let a cry as her fall was halted. She slammed into the rocky cliff with a whimper, waving her hands below her head.

Kina, who had fallen to her stomach, began to slide out over the edge. She tried in vain to dig the toes of her shoes into the ground and, when that failed, managed to catch one foot behind a stump. It twisted painfully, but held.

The girl below stilled, craning her neck to look up into Kina's straining face. "Uh, thanks," she managed.

Kina ground her teeth. "Don't… mention it," she spat, getting a firmer grip on the girl's leg. "Uh, Tal? A little help, please?"

"I'm here," he said, appearing at the edge next to her.

"Good. Grab her other foot and help me haul her up," Kina commanded, already positioning herself to pull the girl up.

Tal did as he was told and, together, they yanked the girl back up over the edge. Exhausted, the three lay on the ground where they'd landed, panting. After a minute, the girl sat up, followed by Tal and Kina.

"Thanks," she said, giving them a smile. "I dunno whadiwoulda done withouchu guys."

The two exchanged a glance. "Um, what?" Kina finally asked, raising an eyebrow.

The girl laughed. "Sorry. I'm from Vermont. 'parently, we don' pronounce our 't's properly. Never noticed it, myself." She stuck out a hand, grinning. "Name's Kestrel Darkflame. Pleased t'meetcha."

"I'm Kina Brightstream, and this is Tal Lightsworn," Kina returned, smiling.

Tal, on the other hand, stiffened. "Darkflame?" he asked, voice quiet. "Any relation to Darkyn?"

Kestrel blinked. "Uh… none that I know of. Maybe way back or somethin'. My granda said somethin' 'bout how our family split from another Dark-somethin' way way back. Somethin' about crazy religion, I guess. But that was super long ago, like, two hundred years or so." She paused. "Why d'you ask?"

He had visibly relaxed. "No real reason. Just curious," he said, smiling.

Kina raised her eyebrow again, but said nothing, deciding to let his odd behavior slide.

Kestrel shrugged, grinned, and leaned back on her hands. "So… Wha'cha guys doing out here, eh?"

"We were gathering wood," Kina explained, half expecting the girl to ask if it was for a fire.

"Oooh, helping the KND get 2x4s for their tech? Sweet," she said instead, nodding knowingly. "I bet Numbuh Two's gonna be hard at work on something real soon."

"A time machine." Tal met her surprised gaze with a grin. "Made of wood."

"If anyone can do that it's Hoagie Gilligan," Kestrel replied. "Kid's the best we've got when it comes to 2x4 tech."

"You're KND?"

Kes laughed. "I was, back in Vermont. Then I moved here and went freelance. Just turned fourteen, but I kept my memories as part of the deal."

"That's pretty cool," Kina conceded.

The girl grinned. "I know, right?" She stood, brushing off her shorts, which hung low and loose around her waist, in contrast with the stark white spaghetti strap tank top above. "So how much wood we need?"

"Five stacks a person." Tal stood as well, brushing off his grimy pants, taking care with his burned arms. Kestrel noticed him wince and trotted over, taking a look.

"Yeesh. That looks pretty bad, Tal. Might wanna get that checked out when we get back." She paused, pulling a tube out of one of her many pockets. "Knew I had… Here. It's some aloe cream It should help with the pain and healing."

"Thanks," he said, taking it. After spreading some on his arms, he smiled. "Wow, it really works."

"Told you it would. Some good advice: never doubt me. I know everything." She grinned and tilted her head to the side. "Although it's good t'be doubted every once in a while."

"You're an odd kid," Kina said, bemused.

The girl's smile broadened. "Yeah, I know. It's what makes me so awesome. Anyway!" she cried, clapping and causing the other two to jump. "Let's get that wood back so we can get back to our own time, yeah?"


	9. Interlude 3

_One year, four months before the Invasion..._

Kestrel Darkflame let out a yell and squeezed the trigger of her ketchup gun, spraying the stalks of broccoli in front of her. Out of ammo, she dropped the gun and let fly a high kick, taking down the Brussels sprouts that had crept up behind her. She leaped through the hole left by their demise and rolled, coming to a stop at the feet of Numbuh 476. Her direct superior.

He looked angry. Why did he look angry? She'd done what she was supposed to...kinda.

"Uh, hi, sir," she said, giving him a sheepish grin. He tapped his foot and adjusted his colander helmet.

"Numbuh 802. What were the orders I gave you, exactly?" he asked, voice dangerously quiet.

"Stay here, guard our escape route. Make sure no one got by." She paused, biting her lip.

"And?"

"To...er..." She chanced a look at her teammates and saw their dark looks. Her grin faded into nothingness. "To not touch anything, sir," she said, standing up.

"And what did you do?"

_Stop talking to me like I'm some dumb kid_, she thought, anger flashing across her face. "I pushed a button. Sir."

"Which brought hordes of vegetable warriors down on our heads. It was pure luck that we managed to stop the Vegapocalypse from happening, thanks to your inability to follow orders." Numbuh 476 turned away, preparing to leave.

"I was following your orders, Glen," Kes snapped, hand tightening into a fist.

The boy stopped and turned, face a mask of rage. "No, you weren't. You pushed a button. That constitutes touching something."

"It seemed like the right thing to do at the time."

"'Scuse me, but how the crud was that the right thing to do?" Numbuh 223 snapped, fingering her weapon.

Kes shot her a look. "Instinct. Besides, we caught the Vegan, everything worked out in the end. Plus we destroyed the remaining Veggie Warriors, who could have picked up where the Vegan left off. I don't see how this is a bad thing.

"Numbuh 229's skin is orange from the carrots! How can you not see it?" Numbuh 223 cried, stepping forward.

Numbuh 476 put his hand in front of her, holding her back. "That's enough, Jen. Leave it to me." He turned his attention back to Kes. "She does have a point. Both Numbuh 229 and Numbuh 272 were injured because of your negligence and rash actions."

"I'm the one who took out all of the Veggie Warriors. Without me, they'd have been attacking your stupid bu-!"

"Shut up, Kestrel. Without you, they wouldn't have been attacking," he returned, voice low and tight.

Kes's eyes narrowed. "What does it even matter? Everything's fine now, so let's just get out of here."

"No. I want an apology. I want you to take responsibility for once and admit that you were wrong. Right here, right now," Numbuh 476 demanded, pointing at the ground.

She stood still, staring at him. After a second, she glanced at Numbuh 223, noting the triumphant grin on her face. She frowned, cheeks flushing with anger. "You know what? I don't need this pile of crud," she muttered, stripping off her outer armor.

"What're you doing?"

She looked at him, eyes dark and angry. "Quitting. I don't need you and your stupid... Ugh. I quit."

"The KND?"

"Yes, the KND. I. Quit!" she snapped, throwing the armor on the ground.

"You'll be decommissioned."

"Like heck I will." Off came the helmet.

"It's protocol. I have to contact Moonbase, and your memories'll be wiped."

"Like heck they will." The weapons belt hit the ground.

"It's protocol. That's how this works."

"Like heck it is." She removed her ID pin and let it flutter to the ground. The three of them watched it fall.

"Stop saying that. Are you absolutely certain? Is this just one of your stupid, rash decisions?"

She paused, bent down, hand reaching towards her badge.

He watched her. "Change your mind?"

Kestrel didn't look at him. "Like heck I did."

"Stop...! Ugh." He rubbed his temples. "Will you at least come quietly?" What was she doing down there?

She looked up and grinned. "Like heck I will!" She sprang to her feet, drawing her newly loaded ketchup pistol and shooting at her former comrades. While they dodged the blasts, she dashed between them and out of the room.

Numbuh 223 shrieked and wiped ketchup out of her eyes. Numbuh 476 took a moment to flick some from his shirt, staring out of the room. "C'mon, we gotta catch her," he snapped, racing after the rogue agent.

Kestrel finally slowed to a stop many blocks from the Vegan's hideout and took a moment to lean against a fence. She still clutched the pistol in her hand, refusing to let go.

Had she done something stupid, deciding to quit? Probably, but she never second-guessed herself. Had running from her team been even stupider? Definitely. Most definitely. And it was such a stupid reason. She hadn't so much _pressed_ the button as _fallen_ on it. Being klutzy had its downsides, but...

She hit her head against the fence. "Why didn't I just say it was an accident?" she moaned, then rubbed the back of her head. Stupid. Double stupid. No, this ranked among the triple stupid. Falling, lying, and hitting herself. Wonderful.

"Hey, look, it's one of the KNDorks!"

Kestrel opened her eyes to see a gaggle of teenagers swaggering over to her, idiotic grins plastered across their faces. "The heck do you guys want?" she muttered, pushing herself away from the fence.

"Gee, what could we want with a lone dweeb on a boring night? Anyone? Anyone?" Ren, the leader, cupped his hands to his ear and chortled.

"We could rough her up," another teen suggested, rubbing his hands together.

"We could embarrass her in front of her friends," called another.

"Could make her give up KND secrets," said a final voice.

All of a sudden, Kestrel grinned. In a flash, a plan formed in her mind. She smiled and put her hands up in the air, pistol dangling in her grip. "Actually," she said, keeping her voice light and even. "I've just quit the Kids Next Door. I had a fight with them and am still pretty angry, you know."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Really," he responded, tone implying that he didn't believe a word of it.

"Yeah. And I figure, they're gonna wipe me in a less than a year, anyway. And a preteen is pretty much a teen, so... I might as well join you guys while I can still be of use." She raised her eyebrows at Ren, hoping he'd bite.

He did, eyes glittering with greed. "Use. Like, secrets?"

"Yeah. I can get you into our... eh, _their_ treehouse. The codes won't be changed until tomorrow. It'll be perfect." She dropped her gun and held out a hand, keeping the inviting smile on her face.

He regarded her hand carefully, then shifted his gaze to her face. Finally, he returned her smile and clapped his hand in hers. "You got yourself a deal."

* * *

"Alright. Stay close. They've got cameras trained on almost every possible approach. Step exactly where I step, since there's also fish-line trip wires all over the place," Kestrel said, hands on her hips. She faced the assembled teens with a broad, confident grin. They all wore their Battle Ready Armor, while she only had her combat pants and t-shirt. Not even a weapon. Too bad, since she probably could have wiped the floor with the whole group if she'd had a Teddy T.H.U.M.P.E.R.

"You're sure you can get us in?" Ren asked, fingering his blaster.

Kes shook her head, maintaining her grin. "Like I said, do as I do, and everything will work out perfectly." _You stupid dunderhead_, she added, chuckling under her breath.

"You heard the girl. Fall into formation, now!" he commanded. The teenagers scrambled to do just that, falling over one another. She found it funny that she'd ever considered them a serious threat. Maybe before, when they'd had a few seventeen year olds on their side, but now? A bunch of clowns.

She turned and started down the pathway, lifting her legs over the nearly invisible trip-wires and skirting the edges of the cameras' sights. It wasn't that difficult. She hadn't designed the system, but she'd been the one who had to set it up.

The reached the bottom of the tree with little incident, only one minor flaw. Someone had stepped into a camera's view and caused every floodlight to turn on. It wasn't that big a deal, though, since it happened every time a cat strolled by. They'd been yelled at multiple times for it, and Numbuh 272 was trying to fix it.

"Okay," she whispered, turning to face the team. "Here's the tricky part. We've got an elevator in here, only used in emergencies, so it's on a different power grid." Truth. "It's not monitored." Truth. "They'll never notice us using it." Lie.

"How do we get in?" Ren sounded eager. He was still fingering his blaster, fidgeting every once in a while, too. Kestrel suppressed a laugh.

"It's usually operated from inside. I'll have to open the access panel and hotwire it," she explained, knocking against the tree. The bark popped open, revealing a mess of bright colored wires, paper clips, rubber bands, and chewing gum.

The teens watched, mystified, as she gently repositioned a few objects. She shifted, yanked a wire out, and, without them seeing, hit the elevator's call button.

The tree dinged as more bark opened, revealing the lift.

She sat back and smiled. "There you go. Step in. I've got to wire it to head up again," she explained, dodging their confused glances.

She was lucky Ren was stupid. "Get in there, idiots," he snapped, gesturing with his blaster. They did as they were told.

Kestrel waited until they were all in and reconnected a few wires.

She jumped up and ran in front of the elevator just as the doors closed, only managing to give the fools a smile and a wave. In another second, she was at the control panel. She sent the elevator to the top floor, but held the doors closed. Then, she tripped the alarm system. When that was done, she stepped back into a camera's view.

A speaker emerged from the bushes. "Kestrel, what the heck are you doing here? Did you set off the alarms?" Numbuh 476 asked.

She grinned. "Yeah. Special delivery. Teens in the elevator. Packed in like sardines."

"How'd you…? Never mind. Stay there." She could hear the amusement in his voice. That was good. Get him in a good mood before she…

Glen slid down the fire pole and landed in front of her, smiling. "I'm glad you're coming back," he said, extending a hand.

She didn't take it. "I'm not."

"What?"

Kestrel looked away. "Look, sir… Glen, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. It's not just the frustration or any of that. It's not that at all." She sighed and glanced up into his eyes. "I'm moving."

"Where to? Close enough to stay with us?"

"No. It's far. Very far," she whispered.

His face fell. "That doesn't mean you have to quit. I mean, KND is everywhere."

"I'm moving near Sector V."

He paused, eyes widening. "I… see. There's no room for you, then."

"Yes. Although I had an idea…" She looked at him, the smallest of smiles gracing her face.

"Shoot."

"Well, you've heard of The Tommy, right? How he still knows about the Kids Next Door, but operates outside of it?" she asked, rubbing her elbow.

"Yeah," he answered, as it dawned upon him. "You think you could go solo in Sector V?"

"Not in it. Nearby. Candy Cove, to be exact." She let out a short laugh. "It's not like I work very well on a team, anyway. Who knows? It might work out for the best… if you let it through."

"What?"

She shrugged. "I contacted Numbuh 86 about it. She said that, if you approved my request for free agent status, she'd grant it."

He sighed, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes. "You never make things easy," he muttered, a hint of a smile on his lips. "You're a klutz, you don't always follow orders, you're hotheaded and brash."

Kestrel looked at the floor, shame darkening her features.

"And yet…" Glen continued. "Your skills easily surpass mine. You're a top-notch shot and loyal to a fault. You never make excuses, except when truly defending yourself. You might lie every once in a while…" His look told her that he knew about her most recent fib. She blushed. "But, yes, Numbuh 802. I will recommend you for free agent status."

"For the record, I'll be stripped of my number. I'll just be… Kestrel."

"That's fine. I'll contact Numbuh 86 in the morning," he said, giving her a smile.

She beamed. "Thank you, sir. Er, well, Glen, I guess."

"It's no skin off my nose. I'm just glad you'll be your own problem," he joked, punching her on the shoulder. She laughed and lashed out at him. He caught her arm and pulled her in close, until they were only a few inches apart.

Her laughter faded. She blinked away the smile, letting the storm of emotions free on her face.

His smile fell as an odd light entered his eyes. His lips parted slightly as they drew closer together.

They kissed. It wasn't the friendly pecks they'd exchanged before, nor the fast jolts given by dares. Yet it wasn't something passionate, either. It didn't last long. They parted, looking at one another with sadness in their eyes.

"We coulda been something," Kestrel said, trying at a joke.

He just shook his head. "We coulda. We really coulda," he responded, returning the seriousness.

She lowered her head and backed out of his embrace, heaving a sigh. "Let the others know whenever you want. I leave in two days, but I probably won't see any of you again, so…" Her voice trailed off as she stared up into the sky, entranced by the stars.

He touched her hand, drawing her back to earth, and gave her a knowing smile. "I will. I'll tell them goodbye."

"Thank you," she whispered, leaning her head against his shoulder. And then they separated, he heading back into the treehouse, she, down the street to her house.

They never looked back.


	10. The Future 7: Fallen Leaves

They had just finished scanning the last pile when a great tremor shook the earth beneath their feet. The three exchanged a look, turned, and ran for the Treehouse. A block from Hero Square, they encountered a wave of Fusion Spawns, all facing away from them.

Kina stopped, rifle hanging at her side. "What's going on?" she asked, fully aware that her companions had no idea.

Tal stopped beside her, holding his own rifle at the ready. "I don't know, but we should probably be careful…"

Kestrel blazed by them with a yell, firing randomly into the sea of monsters. The Spawns turned and leaped for her, red eyes blazing, but well placed shots disintegrated them in an instant.

The two others stared in shock, watching their companion carve a swath out of the mass. When the monsters started drawing in behind her, cutting them off, they sprang into action, clearing out the stragglers.

Up ahead, Kestrel stopped and held her position, crouching down to one knee and supporting her weapon, taking sniper-like care in placing her shots. When Tal and Kina finally caught up, she looked up at them with a grin.

"You got fusion matter on your face," she said, pointing at Tal.

He narrowed his eyes and wiped the spots off, glaring. "What were you thinking?" he snapped as she stood, brushing off her pants.

"I was thinking somethin' along the lines of 'Uh oh, something bad is going on! Maybe I should destroy the enemies!'" She shrugged. "It's not like they were that tough or anything."

"You could have waited," he shot back, crossing his arms.

She grinned. "I left the KND because I was too impulsive and didn't follow orders well," she explained. "I guess I should have paused before diving in, but hey, that's just who I am."

"Right. Well, next time, think before you dive in, okay?" Tal responded, rolling his eyes. Kestrel returned a mock salute, still grinning like a fool.

"Uh, I hate to break this moment up, but we've got a big problem," said Kina, pointing towards the Treehouse. The other two turned to look, eyes widening.

"Holy crow," Kes breathed, nearly dropping her weapon. The floating island upon which the Treehouse sat had crashed, landing in a tilted position within the crater. Blue light flickered from the bottom, dimming each time until it went out entirely. Fusion monsters attacked from every side, trying to get to the stunned kids that milled around, uncertain of what to do.

"You've got to be… Computress!" Tal cried, lifting his wrist, and the Nanocom, to his lips. "Computress, what happened? What's going on?"

"_Fuse's minions attacked and irreparably damaged the gravity dampener that was keeping the Treehouse aloft. It is imperative that it is replaced soon, or we will be overrun_," came Computress's voice.

"What do you need us to do?" Kina asked, leaning closer to Tal. He blinked, glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and blushed.

"_We will need the wood you've collected in order to construct bridges to the island. We will need forces to battle the monsters that have amassed in the area. We will need someone to travel to Genius Grove to pick up the new dampener from Mandark_."

"I call the second one!" Kestrel said, lifting her weapon.

Tal sighed. "I can go get a new dampener from Mandark. I've dealt with him before."

"I guess that leaves me on the construction crew," Kina finished. "Here, give me the wood you guys got. We'll probably need it."

* * *

"I've got another pile! Where should I bring it?"

Kina turned to face the next girl, barely raising an eyebrow in response to her outlandish dress. Were those butterfly wings on her back?

Blinking rapidly, Kina brought herself back to the present. "They need a bit more over on the southern bridge. Run it over there, then have Jade message me with how much more wood they need."

The girl saluted and bolted off. Kina raised her hand in a half hearted wave and turned back to the makeshift desk in front of her. Several empty C.R.A.T.E.S. had been stacked up, and had been quickly buried beneath Numbuh Two's hastily drawn plans. Four bridges had to be constructed, and fast. She'd sent several groups out for more wood, had five people working on each bridge, and had a few kids acting as runners between groups. On top of that, she'd been authorized to give those orders as 'missions' and grant each kid fusion matter and taros.

So far, it looked like everything would work out okay. _If_ the defenses could hold back Fuse's forces. _If_ Tal and his team could make it back with the gravity dampener in time. If, if, if.

A young boy popped up next to her. She jumped, blinked, and smiled.

"What do you need?" she asked.

"The northern bridge is complete. Operatives are heading across to give help on both sides." He saluted, looking uncomfortable.

"Nicely done. Head back and tell everyone there to go help the other three bridges out, okay?"

The boy nodded and ran away, a relieved look on his face. Kina rolled her eyes and turned towards the mess of papers once again.

She froze, eyes wide. Something was there.

The creature smirked, green skin crinkling around its eyes. It was short in stature and grotesquely changed, but its form was recognizable.

"Eddy," Kina breathed, and then; "No. Fusion. Doub-switch!"

* * *

Kestrel crouched behind a pile of rubble, rifle propped between two fallen stones. She spotted a Spawn, aimed, and fired two shots in quick succession. The little blob of goo exploded with a whine, spattering fusion matter everywhere.

Kes grinned and focused on her Nanocom. "Groups T and J, report," she snapped, enjoying herself.

"_All quiet a point T._"

"_Just got the last of the Shocktanglers at point J_."

"Excellent. Keep up the good work, guys, and there'll be fusion matter galore!" she cried, pumping a fist in the air. Her movement earned a blast of goo from a straggling Shocktangler, which she quickly destroyed.

"And how do you expect to keep up the good work yourself?" came a dark voice from behind her.

Kes leaped to her feet, spinning and bringing her rifle up. Her eyes widened. Watching her with an amused expression was Numbuh Two. Or at least, it looked like Numbuh Two. If Hoagie had green skin and red eyes, of course...

"Fusion jerk," Kes muttered, repositioning her gun. She braced herself against the rubble, took aim, and started firing once again.

* * *

"That was too easy," Tal said, scanning the gravity dampener into his Nanocom. "Mandark should have put up much more of a fight."

"He did start muttering about how inconvenient it was, and how much of a genius he is," Colin Murphy observed, hoisting his rifle over his shoulder. "And he must've been in a good mood. He gave you that sword, right?"

"True," Tal replied, looking down at the weapon in his hand. It was an oversized purple thing with a single blade, but it fit him better than any gun ever would.

"And you never know," continued Ralph Murphy, "maybe he's changed since the invasion, right?"

Tal stopped and rubbed his temples, glancing at the twins tagging along behind him. They both were tall, with brown hair and boyish eyes, though they were already twelve years old. Buttercup had assigned them to the same mission as Tal, to ensure that he made it back with the dampener in one piece. The trip over hadn't been so hard, with only a few of Fuse's minions blocking their path. Tal had happily destroyed all of them, glad that he'd found a way to channel the rage he felt at Dexter's... status as missing and anger at finding the world in such a state. He'd never imagined...

"We've got incoming," Ralph reported, snapping Tal out of his reverie. The boy was staring at his Nanocom, which was apparently equipped with a monster detecting program, something he hadn't discovered yet on his own.

"How many?"

"One. Looks big," Colin said, looking over his brother's shoulder. "Probably a Fusion."

Tal thought for a second, rapidly tapped a few buttons on his Nanocom, and lifted his sword. "You two go on ahead," he ordered. "I've sent the dampener to you, Colin, so take care of it."

"What about you?" Ralph asked as they started to back away. Tal looked over his shoulder, catching sight of the giant, furry green monster that was looming up over his shoulder. Eduardo, then.

"Me? I'm going to fight it," he growled, before spinning and striking the Fusion where it stood.


	11. The Future 8: FightFightFight

A/N: Happy November, all! Today, you get two new chapters. I just want to add- this is the first part of the story. The second part will take place in the Past, and is the major part of the story I want to tell. Therefore, this first part is a little...eh. If you can bear with me until our three heroes make it back in time, trust me, the writing and the story will get better. For now, I'm a little rushed, and I'll come back and edit it more later on. I promise! And finally, some action...

I do not own FusionFall, nor Cartoon Network.

* * *

Kina gripped the suddenly solid gun in her hands and took careful aim before firing.

The Fusion smirked and sidestepped the blast, and, before she registered the miss, appeared beside her. He grinned dangerously and made a casual swipe at her head. Kina yelped and fell backwards, barely avoiding the move.

"Hey there, you've got some skill, huh? Wanna put it to work for Fuse?" Fusion Eddy asked, sticking his hands into his pockets and staring at her with those glowing reddish eyes, still smirking.

"As if I'd ever..." she spat. "En-two!"

"Again?" Nano Buttercup complained as she appeared.

"Just hit him!" Kina yelled, rolling out of the way as Fusion Eddy aimed a kick at her head.

"Oh, near miss. Too bad," he muttered. He held up a hand, catching the nano as she shot towards him, holding her at arm's length. He squeezed until the nano yelped, opened his hand, and let her fall to the ground, lifeless. "That won't work, not one bit," he said, grinning down at his quarry.

She rolled again, grabbing her rifle up and firing blindly at the Fusion. He shook his head and leaped forward, narrowly missing her head with a controlled punch. She scrambled away, striking her back against a piece of rubble. Using it as a brace, she took aim and fired again.

"How many times you gonna try that before giving up?" Fuison Eddy asked, easily dodging the shots. He jumped over another piece of rubble and landed, crouched, in front of her, arms hemming her in. "Well?"

"Until you die," she spat, shoving her gun towards his face. He launched backwards, landing on his feet with his hands in his pockets once again.

"Aw, too bad," he said, cocking his head to the side. With a grin, he stepped closer once more. "I guess I'll have to kill you now, then. Or we could have some fun, first..."

Kina grimaced and swept her leg towards the fusion, catching him at the ankle. With a squawk of surprise, he toppled backwards.

Out of nowhere, Nano Buttercup appeared, slamming her fist into the Fusion's forehead, stunning him for a few moments as Kina got to her feet.

She silently fired at the figure on the ground, eyes wide. Fusion matter splattered the ground around them, hissing and steaming where it touched any living thing.

The remains of the monster shifted slightly, drawing Kina's gaze. She held her rifle at the ready, but hesitated.

"Stupid girl," the creature hissed, voice growing faint. "You'll all be devoured in the end..."

What remained of his form dissolved. She finally relaxed and took a look at her Nanocom. Already, her fusion matter had been maxed out. Would this yield...?

"Hey!" An incredibly familiar sounding shout rose from the remains. Kina looked over and saw the floating tiny figure, Nano Eddy.

"Great," she said. "What can you do?"

"Lots of stuff," the nano crowed, a grin spreading across his face. "It'll cost ya twenty five cents to find out, though!"

* * *

Kes held her gun close and rolled, setting up behind another pile of rubble. She fired three shots, all of which cut through the space Fusion Numbuh Two had occupied half a second before. She swore and dove for new cover as a stream of fusion matter splashed against her shield.

"Can't run forever, reject!" the Fusion called, his voice a dark, twisted mockery of Numbuh Two's. "This isn't hide-and-seek, you know!"

"It could be! You never know!" Kes yelled before she could stop herself. She swore again as another blast of goo hit the ground beside her, splashing her with acid. She grimaced and stood, aiming for the Fusion once more.

"Aw, is that all it takes to make you come out?" he said, grinning. "What a loser."

Kes fired, narrowly missing her target as he dodged to the side, hiding behind the remains of a wall. "Quit it with the names," she muttered, staring at the spot he'd disappeared into. "Besides, who's the coward now?"

"Not me, of course." The reply came from behind her. Spinning, Kestrel fired again, this time managed to graze the Fusion's arm. He howled and swiped at her face, missing only when Kes, off balance, tripped over a piece of brick.

She spun as she fell, firing straight up into the Fusion's body, managing to hit with all four shots. Not enough to down him, but certainly enough to hurt.

He responded by hurling a ball of fusion matter down at her. It broke across her arm, burning as it went. She cried out in pain, instantly moving to cradle the wound.

Fusion Numbuh Two smirked as she managed to get to her knees, gun useless beside her. He held his hand up, leveled at her head. "Any last words?" he asked.

"Yeah," Kestrel said, keeping her head down. "Thanks."

"Wha-" he started, but never finished the word. Kestrel shot forward, driving her wounded arm into one of the wounds in his torso. She yanked it out through his side, slicing the Fusion nearly in half.

He collapsed before her, form beginning to dissolve even as he fell. "D-dang it," he whispered, looking up at her.

She stared down, panting, holding her arm lose to her body. The burns smoked slightly, and she winced, stumbling just a little.

He smiled once more. "Looks like I still hurt you," he said, dissolving faster.

She looked away. "Go to... Eh. I still won."

His form now completely gone, she fell to her knees, strength waning. She bowed her head, curling around her arm, trying to keep from crying out in pain.

"Uh... Need some help?" a small voice asked from somewhere beside her.

Kestrel looked up and let out a bark of laughter. A Nano Numbuh Two. Of course. Why hadn't she thought to use...? No matter.

"Yeah, you little idiot. I do."

* * *

Fusion Eduardo grabbed the sword in his claws, letting out a little laugh. "Ooh, I so e-scared!" he said, moving his voice up into a sharp falsetto.

Tal made a tsking sound and twisted the blade, stepping backwards at the same time. He stood at the ready, holding the hilt in both hands. "You should be," he replied, and, with a shout, attacked again.

The monster caught the blade again in one claw, lashing out with the other. Tal swore, raising one arm to defend himself. The sharp claw sliced into his forearm and grazed his forehead, just above his eyebrow.

He fell back again, holding his sword with just his right hand, blood dripping into his left eye. He swore again, wiping a hand across his eye to clear it of blood. More welled up, blocking his sight again as he squinted.

"Shouldn't you be better with that?" the monster asked, chuckling to himself. "It looks like I can beat you, Lightsworn. Or... it's supposed to be Darkyn, yes?"

Tal stiffened, gaze locking on the Fusion. "How did you know that?" he asked, trying to keep his voice even. He shifted his weight and repositioned his grip on the sword, readying himself to attack.

Fusion Eduardo smiled. "I could smell it all over you," he explained, falling into a ready stance.

Tal let out a yell and launched forward, swinging the sword in a lateral slice towards the monster's middle. The Fusion moved to block it.

At that moment, Tal brought the sword down and angled it upwards. Fusion Eduardo reacted, stopping the blade from slicing into his leg, but it deflected upwards and cut a gash into his arm. The monster howled and lowered his head, exposing his horns.

Tal twisted, bringing the blade in close to his body and ramming the hilt backwards into the monster's head. Fusion Eduardo let out another yell and tossed his head, throwing Tal over his shoulders. The boy flipped in the air and landed on his back, striking the wind from his lungs.

Gasping for air, he barely managed to roll out of the way of the Fusion's blind charge, narrowly avoiding being trampled beneath his huge feet. He tried to speak, found that he still couldn't, and pressed a button on his Nanocom instead.

Nano Buttercup appeared, looked at him, and immediately understood. She flew up behind the monster and kicked with all her might, sending it flying into a fallen wall and stunning it for a few seconds.

Tal got to his feet, pressing another button. His sword disappeared, replaced by his old rifle. Calmly, he fired into the Fusion's body, rendering it incapable of running away.

"Wep-change," he croaked, and, sword back in hand, he walked over to the monster.

Fusion Eduardo stared up at him in hatred, eyes burning. "And what will you do now, Darkyn-boy?" he asked.

Tal looked down at him, a dark look on his face. He held the blade of the sword to Fusion Eduardo's throat, arm unwavering even under its unfamiliar weight.

"Destroy me? Isn't that what you're supposed to do?" the monster continued, a hint of mockery in his voice. "Do it then. I tell you, it's okay."

"What happens when I destroy you?" the boy asked. "Do you go back to Fuse to be recreated? Does your mind still exist?"

"Yes. That is why I not afraid. Is my duty to fight for Fuse. Is your duty, too, little traitor." Fusion Eduardo spat a gob of fusion matter. It struck Tal's shoulder, but he didn't flinch.

"Tell your cruddy master this, then, when you see him. I'm Lightsworn. And I'll be the one to destroy him," he said, voice calm. With one swift movement, he sliced the monster's head off, and closed his eyes rather than watch it disintegrate. Only when he was sure it was finished did he let his sword fall, tip digging into the ground, and sank to his knees, energy spent.

"Oooh, so e-scary looking little man! You covered in blood and dirt! Who hurted you, little man?"

Tal opened his eyes and stared up through lowered lashes at the small purple thing floating above him. A nano? A Nano Eduardo? Was it his now?

"You dummy! That's why you're here, you stupid purple thing!" Nano Buttercup shouted, striking the new nano on the head. He promptly burst into tears.

"Ahh, why you are so mean to me!" he wailed.

Tal got to his feet, albeit slowly, and gave the nanos a long look. Finally he shook his head, bursting into laughter.

"C'mon, Dex, couldn't you have gotten these things right, at the very least?" he asked, and, still laughing, started off towards Sector V.


	12. Interlude 4

A/N: And here it is, the reason why you get two today. Tal's backstory is definitely the most convoluted, confusing, and strange of the three heroes. It's closer to what I would normally write, which means it's a little out there. If you're confused, don't hesitate to ask a question or whatever. I might answer it, or just ask you to stay tuned to future chapters. And, since I haven't asked yet, please review! I like getting critiques, and a little encouragement can go a long way!

_

* * *

_

_Nine years before the Invasion..._

Tal knelt next to his father, not really listening to the words being said. It was a long, droning chant that had been going on for an hour now, with odd sounding words, grunts, and strange noises that he had no hope of understanding.

It was his sixth birthday. Yesterday, his mom had made him a cake, given him a present (a big Lego set), and warned him that today would probably be very, very boring. So far, she'd been right. She always was.

He sneaked a look at his father, hazel eyes dark under his long lashes. The man had light skin and perfectly coifed black hair. His head was bowed, though Tal could see his lips moving in time with the chant. His ice blue eyes were closed and a small, content smile sat upon his lips. It was an expression he only adopted in this room, during the endless ceremonies his religion demanded.

Tal looked up at the image in front of him. It was formless to his eyes, the painting, but his father insisted that The Devourer was displayed within. All he could see, with his inexperienced eyes, was a swirl of green and red, bordered by and centered around the truest black he'd ever seen. Even though he couldn't see the terrible being that supposedly lurked inside the colors, he felt a terrible sense of foreboding when he looked at it.

In front of the painting was a sword. It was embellished, with a bright red pommel stone, greenish leather hilt wrappings, and a darkly gleaming blade. The point was driven into a marble block.

He'd always thought of it as protection from The Devourer, even though it gave him a sick feeling when he got near it. It was nothing compared to how the picture had made him feel the one time he'd seen it without the sword. Abject terror. That's what it had been. Like some formless, bottomless darkness was trying to swallow him.

Tal was so lost in thought that he barely noticed the end of the chant.

"...and His might embrace us," his father murmured, opening his eyes and looking at Tal.

"His might embrace us," he echoed a beat later.

His father smiled, stood, and placed a hand on his head. "Good boy. Now that the ceremony's over, it's time to begin your training."

"Training, sir?" Tal looked up at his father, feeling young and foolish.

"Yes, my boy. One day, one day soon, you will take up a blade to protect what is right. The Destroyer will come, and you will have to fight. We have to prepare you for that day. It's the fate of every Darkyn ever born."

"Yes, sir," Tal murmured, but his father was already gone.

* * *

Over the next five years, Tal trained his body and mind in preparation for The Devourer's arrival. Every bruise he gained, every sleepless night he endured, he told himself that it was for the greater good. So that he could protect the ones he loved. So he could stop The Devourer. So he could save the world.

So he could impress his father.

Every night, his mother dressed his wounds and listened to his endless chatter. About training, about school, about the girls and the bullies and the teachers. She helped him through the rough times, her gentle guidance contrasting with his father's distance. Slowly, his last reason for working so hard faded. And changed.

So he could protect his mother.

Tal Darkyn would not give up, no matter what.

* * *

_Four years before the Invasion..._

"You've made much progress, young one," the elder said, inspecting Tal with a hawk-like gaze. "You are strong in sword arm and in mind. You are ready for The Devourer's arrival." With that, the dark-robed man swept out of the room, leaving Tal alone with his father.

He let out a sigh of relief, looking to his father for approval. The man nodded. "Well done, my boy. All that remains are the vows."

"Yes, sir," he responded, bowing. "I'm ready."

"Let's start, then." He closed his eyes and took a breath, turned to the painting, and inclined his head. "Place your hands on the sword hilt. Kneel before it. Keep your eyes locked on The Devourer, but closed."

Tal did as he was told, thinking that his father was slightly crazy to still sit on all this ceremony. Silence fell on the hall, broken only by the crackling of torch-flames.

"Tal Darkyn. Do you swear that, on the day The Devourer comes, you will take up your sword and fight?"

"I do."

"Tal Darkyn. Do you swear that you will protect the Chosen with all you might?"

Behind his closed lids, a picture of his mother flashed. And he recalled the look of sorrow she had given him that morning, and hesitated. But why? "I do."

"Tal Darkyn. Do you swear that you will smite the enemies of The Devourer and clear the way for His coming?"

"I... What?" Tal's eyes snapped open. He pulled his hands away from the sword as if burned, turning to stare at his father. "What did you say?"

The man gave him a hard look. "Tal Darkyn. Do you swear that you will smite the enemies of The Devourer and clear the way for His coming?"

"What?" Tal stood, muscles taught, as his world fell down around him. "Protect The Devourer?"

His father was angry now. "Yes, you little fool. Protect our god. Pave the way for Him. He that will devour the universe. The Darkyn are His Chosen. We follow His word as law, boy. Now," he said, eyes flashing. "Do you or do you not so swear?"

"I... No! No, I won't!" Tal cried, stepping away from the painting, the sword, his father. He took another step, shaking. Turned. Bolted out of the room.

His father watched his retreat with dark eyes. Finally, he his shoulders sagged. "Unfortunate," he muttered. "Truly unfortunate, my boy, for now you must die."

There was a soft snik as he pulled the sword from the stone. He weighed it in his hands, took a breath, and left the room.

"Mom!" Tal shouted, thundering into the living room. "Mom, you won't believe this..."

She took one look at the fear on his face and understood. She knelt down in front of him, dried his frantic tears, and gave him a steady gaze.

"Oh, Tal. Oh, my dearest. You've done it. You overcame his darkness, didn't you? Thank the Light," she murmured, brushing his hair out of his eyes. "Oh, my light child, I'm so sorry."

"He wants that thing to come. To destroy us all. I don't understand. I thought I was training to protect everyone..."

"I know, Tal, I know. I'm sorry. It must be so confusing for you, but you have to trust me. We need to go somewhere right now. I'll explain everything on the way."

She took his hand in a gentle grasp and led him down the hall. "You have to understand. Your father's family is a little...off. They came in contact with a great evil, many years ago, that promised it would come back to devour the earth one day. If they aided it," she said, looking down into his wide eyes, "it would spare them. So they came to revere it as a god."

"But..."

"Hush, my child. There's more. Another family got wind of their dark pact and swore to stop them, no matter what the cost. They were called the Lightsworn, and would stand against the evil. I'm one of them, and so are you." She stopped, leaned against the wall, and pressed a hand to her heart. "I'm so glad you didn't take the vow."

"Why didn't you just tell me?" he exploded as they started to walk again, down the stairs into the cellar.

She just shook her head. "You had to choose on your own. And there is another challenge awaiting you. But first..." She stopped, reaching behind a shelf. After a moment, she withdrew a scabbard and a sword. It was unadorned, simple lines engraved on the pommel, plain leather wrapping the hilt. She drew it, revealing the shining silver of the blade.

He reached for it, but she shook her head and backed away. "I'm sorry, Tal. This is goodbye. Behind the shelf is an escape route. I want you to take it. Get as far from here as you can, and wait."

"But why..?"

"Just do it, love. Everything will be revealed later. Trust me." She stiffened as the cellar door slammed open and the steps creaked.

"Mom?" he asked, voice small and afraid.

She gave him a smile and placed a hand on his shoulder. "My dearest boy. I love you always. Now, please, go. For your safety, you must. For the world."

He went to the passage, turned back. Saw her blink the tears from her eyes, turn, and face the man on the stairs.

His father, the other sword glittering in his hand.

Tal slid away, ran down the stone hallway, as fast as he could. He closed his ears to the clang of metal on metal, the cries and growls that rushed behind him, and finally emerged on a hill overlooking the house.

He had hardly stopped and turned when it happened. The air was filled with a howling noise. He clapped his hands over his ears and stared in horror as the sky exploded, darkness fighting a blinding light. He cried out in pain and fear as everything grew too bright, too loud, too much to handle...

And silence fell. He removed his hands from his ears, hesitant, waiting. Cracked open his eyelids. Stumbled.

His house was gone. His house. Was gone. Vaporized. Gone.

"Mom!" he shouted, breaking into a run, heading for the empty spot where his house had been. "Mom!" Leaped over the remains of a couch, dodged broken glass and splinters of wood. Slowed, stopped. Stared into the cellar hole.

There was very little left. A few scraps of wood. Some broken bottles. But not his father. And not his mom.

A gleam caught his eyes and he leaped down into the hole, landing with catlike grace. He walked over to it, stared at it.

The dark sword. The Darkyn sword, he supposed. The sword of The Devourer. He grimaced and kicked it into a pile of rubble. Disgusting thing.

Another glint drew his attention and he went to investigate. It was the light sword. His mother's. Blinking back tears, he picked it up, staring at the simple etchings that covered the hilt.

The blade flashed as it caught the morning light, blinding him. And he heard it, softly, in the back of his mind.

"_My boy. My Tal. My light. I'm sorry to leave you like this, but you've done it. You've chosen your path. You will stand against The Devourer when He arrives. You will defeat him, my son. I believe in you. No longer are you Darkyn. You are Lightsworn. Tal Lightsworn, who will one day fight against the forces of darkness._

_"To prepare, you must seek out your aunt and uncle in Genius Grove. That is where it will begin. Now go, my son. Face your destiny._"

The voice faded with the glare. Tal lowered his head, wiped away his tears, and sheathed the sword. It was time to go.


	13. The Future 9: Recruits

A/N: As always, I don't own FusionFall or Cartoon Network. Never have, never will.

* * *

Kina walked over one of the newly constructed bridges, found a bare patch of ground against the house, and sat. She tilted her head back and stared up through the giant branches of the tree, up at the blue-green sky, up at the looming Planet Fuse. She sighed and looked back down.

"Whatsa matter? Anything Sikaiatrist Eddy can do for ya?" asked her new nano, with a sign spelling out the word around his neck.

Kina sighed and put her hand on his head. "Why won't you stay scanned inside my Nanocom?" she asked, pressing him down against the ground. He struggled for a minute before faltering, letting out an annoyed groan.

"There's no one to scam in there!" he griped.

She rolled her eyes. "Why do I get all the glitchy ones?"

"Glitchy whats?" came a familiar voice. Kina looked up, smiling in relief when she saw Kestrel walking over to her. The smile quickly fell as she saw her friend's burned arm.

"What did you do to yourself?" she cried, leaping to her feet.

Kestrel gave her a weak grin. "Ah, this? It's nothin'. Just had a little fight with Fusion Numbuh Two, tha's all."

"You... You were attacked too?" She shook her head. "Wait, no, that doesn't matter. Let's get you to the infirmary. They've set one up just around back..."

Kina took hold of Kes's good arm and dragged her around the house, to where a series of white tents had been set up. Various kids in white outfits flitted from bedside to bedside, caring for the injured Operatives, SACT Agents, Urban Rangers, and Time Travelers within. Spotting a free bed, Kina sat Kes down and called to one of the nurses.

"That's a bad one," the boy confirmed, taking a look. "What'd you do, stick your arm into a pool of fusion matter?"

"Eh, into a Fusion. Same difference..." Kes replied, smiling innocently.

While the boy shook his head and went to get some ointment, Kina rapped Kes on the head with her knuckles.

"Ow!" the younger girl cried, rubbing her head. "The heck was that for?"

"Don't be stupid. You could have lost your arm," Kina admonished, then ruffled the girl's hair. "I'm glad you're alright, though."

"Humph. I noticed you're lookin' a little worse for wear, and you've got a new nano, too. Looks like you got in a bit of a tussle, right?" she said, looking up at the still-present Nano Eddy.

Kina sighed and scratched her head. "Eh, yeah, there was a little trouble. But I didn't stick my hand into a Fusion to get him. And he's defective."

"What's he do?"

"Not much. Only real choice was to put him on 'guard'. I guess he increases the defensive stats on our clothing." She sighed. "Speaking of which, I could use some new clothes. Looks like you could as well."

"Nah, I like these even when they're covered in gook. 'sides, I already got a new thing today. Adap!" she said, looking at her Nanocom. Out popped Nano Numbuh Two. He immediately went over to Nano Eddy and poked him in the eye. The two flew in circles, chasing one another.

"Huh. Maybe he's glitched as well," Kina mused. "And what can he do?"

"Nothing, really. Having him out when I kill monsters gets me more taros, so I guess that's pretty cool." She swatted at him as the two nanos swooped over her head. "Gah! Stop it! Adap!"

"You too, Eddy. En-three. Stay in this time," she muttered as the nano disappeared.

"New nanos?"

The girls turned to look at the bed next to them. Sitting under the covers was Tal, who looked much worse for wear. He had a large bandage wrapped around his left forearm and another one over his left eye. Wrapped around his chest and left shoulder was another bandage.

"What happened to you?" Kes cried, immediately by his side, ignoring the calls from her own nurse.

"Fight with a Fusion, same as you," he explained. "But check it out. En-cos."

Nano Eduardo appeared over his shoulder, tears already dripping down his face. "I so sorrrrrry I could not protect you, little man," the purple nano wailed. Tal rolled his eyes and said the codeword again. "He's supposed to drain monster's of their energy by roaring at them, but I really can't see him doing anything like that."

"You'd be surprised," Kina said, sitting on Kes's bed. "Now, you guys should probably rest up and heal for a while."

"You've got bruises and scrapes too, Miss Brightstream," said another nurse, appearing beside the older girl. Kina's brows shot up, but she said nothing. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

"No, I'm fine. Save it for the kids who need it," she answered, standing. She turned and raised a hand to her companions. "I'll see you guys later, then. Listen to the doctors!"

With that, the jogged out of the tent, disappearing quickly into the surrounding crowd.

Kes watched her go, silently pulling her arm out of the grasp of her nurse. "Stupid Kina," she muttered, finally giving in and returning to her bed. "Should take her own advice if she's gonna give it like that..."

Tal just laughed.

* * *

Kina slowed to a walk as she crossed one of the bridges, merging with the steady flow of kids going from one side to the other. She glanced down and shivered. The ravine that now surrounded the Treehouse was deep, tinted green by fusion matter. Numbuh Two had tried to install the gravity dampener, but it looked like more than just that part had been damaged. It was going to take a long time to get the Treehouse back in the air.

She looked both ways and dashed across the street to Hero Square, where the monument was located. She sighed and looked up at the ever-changing holograms, overcome with sadness. There were so many. People she knew, people she didn't, people she cared about...

Her family. The thought struck her, stopping her in her tracks. Slowly, she turned and looked northwest, eyes wide. There was so much destruction... Her family... There was no way they could be...

"We're going to change the past," she muttered, clenching her fists. After taking a deep breath, she started moving again, gaze firmly fixed on the ground. Even though she wasn't quite sure how changing the past was possible, even though she didn't know if they could even get back to the past, she had to have faith in Dexter's plan. Otherwise, what was there to believe in?

"Hey! Kid! Are you looking for a mission?" one KND Operative called.

Kina shook her head. "No, I'm just looking around."

"Ahh, too bad. We need to dispatch a group to the Cul-de-Sac for defense. Looks like they're short on people and we've got a ton here, so..."

Kina stopped and looked at the kid. "Eh, sure. I suppose I'll try to lend a hand," she said, sighing.

The operative grinned. "Cool. Go talk to Numbuh 4321. He'll fly you straight over to the Cardboard Castle. Then talk to King Eddy for your orders, got it?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess. Thanks," she said, saluting half-heartedly before walking away towards the transport.

"Oi! You one of Numbuh 8790's recruits for Eddy?" another operative called. "You mind bringing this package to Eduardo? Since you're already going that way..."

"Um, sure, I'll do it. Is he in the Cul-de-Sac, too?"

"Yup. Here, I've sent the package to your Nanocom. Hurry up, okay?"

"Oh! You're heading to the Cardboard Castle?"

"Wait, can you do something for me, too?"

Kina grimaced, quickly surrounded by a multitude of kids. Sighing, she readied herself for a long day.


	14. The Future 10: Debt

A/N: I do not own FusionFall, nor do I own Cartoon Network.

* * *

"So, how exactly did we get roped into this?" Kestrel asked, stepping into the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., a dubious expression on her face.

Kina shrugged and smiled. "There were way too many missions for me to take on my own. And my wounds started hurting, so I had to go back to the hospital tents, where you guys were, and I figured you could use some fusion matter..."

Tal rolled his eyes. "Sure, sure, that's just what you want us to think. Really, you're too lazy to do it all yourself," he said, shooting her a little grin. She frowned and punched him on the shoulder before realizing that he might still be hurt.

"Oh! Sorry," she cried, stepping back.

Tal rubbed his shoulder. "You don't punch that hard," he assured her, hiding a wince.

"I shouldn't have asked you guys to help. You're still wounded," Kina said, looking away.

"Nah, they've cleared us to keep working and fighting, so we can't be all that bad. 'sides, I was getting bored," Kes interjected, poking her head back out of the transport. "Now, you getting on or what?"

The two outside nodded and jumped into the doorway, finding a seat as quickly as possible. Kina wound up squished in next to a very young girl wearing a bright pink top and a yellow skirt. She looked up at the older girl and smiled.

"Hi, I'm Amelia. I'm seven years old. How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"Wow! That's really old! How many kids do you have?"

"Urk..." was all Kina could manage. The question got Kes's attention and she turned around, staring down at the two girls in amusement.

"Yeah, Kina, how many?" she asked before sticking out her tongue.

"You're not helping," Tal growled, pulling her back into her seat. She grinned and crossed her arms.

"Yes, I am. Just not _her_."

Kina shook her head and looked out the window at the quickly receding monument below. It was going to be a _very _long day indeed.

* * *

They landed in the Cul-de-Sac without incident, despite the rocky start. Kina had eventually set the young girl straight, along with revealing that she did not have a boyfriend, she was not searching for a prince, she could actually fire a gun, she liked bugs, and no, she was not afraid of the dark. Tal and Kestrel had listened to the entire conversation, the latter laughing throughout the whole thing.

Kina thanked Numbuh 4321, said goodbye to the girl, and turned to her companions. "So," she asked, looking around. "What do we want to do first?"

"Probably go get Eddy's permission to be here. I've heard he's taken the whole 'King of the Cul-de-Sac' thing to heart, especially since..." Tal trailed off, looking away. "Well, he's gone a little crazy, understandably."

"Come on, we've gotta get used to sayin' that stuff. Double D and Ed are dead," Kes said, kicking a piece of rubble out of her way. "That's why we're going back to the past, isn'it?"

"Right," Kina agreed, but she grabbed Kes's shoulder and turned to look at her. "But, really? Don't be so callous about it. We've skipped out on the past two years, but everyone else around here experienced it firsthand. It's not just some game."

She jerked her shoulder out of her grasp and looked at the ground. "Yeah, I know that. Sorry. This is how I deal with stuff like this. Smiles and...callousness, I guess." She looked up, defiant. "I'm not gonna change how I act just to make people feel a little better."

This time, it was Tal who put his hand on her shoulder. She stiffened slightly, looking down at his hand out the corner of her eye.

"Being a little considerate might help you, too, Kes," he said, glancing down at her, a sad, stern look in his eyes. "I know you've got to be hurting, too."

She swallowed and flicked her gaze up into his. Blinking, she looked away, at one of the half-fallen houses around them. "Eh, I'll think about it, I guess," she muttered, frowning. "C'mon, let's get this over with." Turning, she stalked towards the circle.

"Huh," was all Tal could say, before following her.

Kina smiled to herself. She'd have to remember that, for future reference. After a second, she headed after her companions, looking around as she walked. Tall walls, made only of cardboard, it seemed, rose from behind all of the lots. Behind her, at the entrance, stood two huge doors bearing the face of Plank. However, it looked like their defenses had been breached. The pavement was cracked and crumbled, rising and dipping like the aftermath of an earthquake. Houses had been smashed in half, roofs ripped off, garages torn through. Their pristine lawns had become marshy masses of fusion matter, hissing and bubbling in the background.

Kina chanced a look upwards. The green-tinted sky was clearly visible, revealing a view of the disgusting planet above her. She shook her head and focused on the circle, hoping for a better view.

At the very center was a throne, also made out of cardboard. At the top stood King Eddy, a grin plastered across his features. Kina felt her own mouth twist into a little smile. It was good to see that some things never changed, she thought, glancing at the pile of jawbreakers next to him.

"Hey, who're you guys? Whaddaya want in the Castle-de-Sac?" Eddy asked, voice loud and boisterous.

Tal gave him a half-hearted salute. Kes followed suit, but Kina grinned and bowed. "Hail, King Eddy. Dost thou remember me?"

The boy squinted, hopped down to the ground, and stalked over to her. She felt a small rush of joy when she noticed that he was still shorter than her, though it was only a little. After a minute, he smiled and stepped back. "Kina! 'course I remember you. I still owe you..." he muttered darkly.

"Eh, I would have let it slide if you hadn't remembered," she said, grinning once more as he frowned. "But, in all seriousness, we've been sent from Sector V for... a lot different missions, actually."

Eddy peered around her at the other two, squinting. "And who're these two losers?" he asked.

Kes drew herself up to give a sharp reply, but Tal put his hand in front of her. He shot her a small look, shook his head, and saluted Eddy again.

"Tal Lightsworn, at your service. And this is Kestrel Darkflame," he said, ignoring her angry look. "We're friends of Kina's."

"That so?" he replied, a sly look creeping across his features. He turned back to Kina, eyes bright. "So, if I let you guys all operate in here for a few days, no charge, no questions, and all the clearance you need, will that square us?"

"Sure," she said, sticking out a hand. "Want to shake on it?"

He clapped his hand against hers and shook it vigorously, grinning like a fool. "Finally," he muttered. "Finally get out from under that debt..."


	15. The Future 11: Ruby Slippers

A/N: I don't own FusionFall or Cartoon Network.

* * *

It was not just a few days, no matter what Eddy had agreed to. For three and a half months, they took on odd missions, fought fusion monsters, and gained valuable experience. There were good points, like when a group of missing kids was found wandering the outskirts of Peach Creek, and, of course, there were many lows. Each day, more lives were lost in the fight to destroy Fuse once and for all.

Kina, Kestrel, and Tal spent most of their time in and around the Cul-de-Sac, mostly performing odd jobs for Eddy. One day, however, Computress contacted them with a proposal. They could be the first group sent back to the past, so long as they performed one simple task: send a message.

With Computress standing by the hole in Hero Square and Kina waiting by the one in the Cul-de-Sac, Tal headed out for Genius Grove once more, parting ways with Kestrel when she ran to Pokey Oaks South. When all were in place, the message was sent.

_We are coming home_.

Mandark reported the next day that he'd received a transmission from the past.

_We are ready_.

They stood in front of the odd structure, the three of them together. The boy, wearing a ragged yellow shirt and faded black pants, sported a white scar on both his left eye and arm. He stood next to a girl around his height, her orange long-sleeved shirt tattered, her black skirt torn, but a bright look in her green eyes. She fidgeted, pulling her white hair into a ponytail, out of her sight. Beside her waited a shorter girl, although she appeared older. Her green and black halter top was dirtied, her gloves long gone, her pants sporting huge holes in the knees.

Hoagie and Mandark stood between them and the structure, making last minute preparations, checking the system. All seemed to be going well. Exactly as planned.

"You guys done yet?" Kestrel asked, tugging her shirt. "Can we go back?"

"The final check has just been completed. You can go in a few minutes, after you say goodbye," Mandark snapped, tapping the time machine. He shook his head. "Made of wood..."

"Don't knock 2x4s until you've tried 'em," Hoagie called, looking up from his schematic.

The other genius rolled his eyes. "Don't boast until it works, Numbuh Two."

Hoagie frowned and pushed a button. The machine purred to life, a green glow growing at the center of the portal. He grinned. "It should work. See?"

"Can we go now?"

"Shut it, Kes," Tal murmured, although he looked like he wanted to bolt into the machine as well. Kina put a hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"It'll work," she said, and he nodded.

"Okay, time travelers! Time to go back!" Hoagie crowed. "Just step straight through. You'll arrive three and a half months after you left, though."

"Why?"

"That's how long you've been here. We can't really mess with your personal time lines, or you'd be too young or too old and cause the fabric of space-time to unravel." Mandark met Kes's glare with a disinterested look. "You're the one who asked, you know."

"Yes, well, let's do it," Kina said, stepping forward. "All at once?"

"Sure." Hoagie stood at attention and saluted. "Say hi to me in the past, will ya?"

"Definitely," Kestrel answered, returning the salute.

"Just hold out here a little longer, guys," Tal said, fists clenching. "We'll save the past and change this future for good!"

Kina noted the look of pain that flashed across Mandark's face, but it was gone before she could comment. "Yes," was all he said. "You will."

"Shall we?" Kestrel asked, holding out her hands. Tal and Kina took them and, with a quick look behind, strode into the light together.

It was an odd feeling, Kina mused. Different from before, at least. Like her one step was lasting a very long time, her foot failing to come down on anything, but without the falling sensation. Greenish light surrounded them, and then, it was as though she could see forever. Paths stretched out in front of her, revealing small glimpses. A world totally covered in fusion matter. One that seemed to be within a computer. A normal earth. And then...

They were falling, drawn down towards one path, speeding downwards, until...

Her foot met solid ground. She tripped, fell to her knees beside Kestrel, who had turned to face the sky with wide eyes. She glanced at Tal, the only one who was still standing, and then at their surroundings.

Hero Square, but... Only one hologram showed on the monument. And...

People. So many people around them. Her eyes darted from face to face. Ben. Numbuh One. Mandy. Frankie. Professor Utonium. Edd. Dexter.

She felt no shame as tears began to stream down her cheeks. Tal, too, made no move to hide his own.

Kestrel stared at the crowd, upside down in front of the time machine. She grinned, tapped her heels together three times, and laughed. "There's no place like home!"

* * *

A/N: So I was having that little problem in that the Future wasn't the part I really wanted to write about, but it was crucial to the whole set-up of the piece. And I couldn't come up with ideas for the three months they had to spend there. Then, idea! When I had the plots, put them in Interludes. Until then, just move on with life. It works. And so our heroes arrive in the past. What awaits them there? You'll find out soon enough...


	16. Interlude 5

Disclaimer: I don't own FusionFall

* * *

_One year, eleven months before the Invasion..._

"Everyone okay?" Kina asked, glancing back along the path at her young charges. They all muttered, a mix of yes's and no's, the latter mostly sarcastic. She lifted her gaze to find Ben at the back of the pack. He saw her look and shrugged.

"Looks like it..." he said, although his eyes dropped to the three Eds for a brief second. Edd, as usual, had far too large a pack on his back, but seemed mostly fine. Eddy, carrying nothing, was certainly okay. Ed, however, seemed a little more glazed than usual, less distracted by everything around him, at least. His eyes were locked on the ground.

_Keep an eye on him_, Kina mouthed, sparing them one more glance before continuing up the trail. They were on their yearly hike from the camp in southern Prickly Pines up to Camp Kidney. After spending a day or two there, they'd continue to Leaky Lake for another few days before catching a ride back to the Suburbs from Mt. Blackhead. Thankfully, the Kids Next Door didn't totally hate the camp- they'd agreed to put them on a regular transport. It was probably to make sure they weren't mistreating the kids, but it was useful none the less.

Kina snuck another look at the kids behind her, worry creeping up when she saw the concerned look Edd was giving his taller friend. She watched him tap Eddy on the shoulder, hand over his backpack (despite the shorter boy's grumbling), and jog up beside her.

"What's up?" she asked, despite knowing the answer.

Edd swallowed, and she nearly let out a huge sigh. She remembered the conversation they'd had a few days before...

_"Double D? Could you give me a hand?" Kina asked, trying to balance seven blocks of fuel for the campfire._

_ The red-shirted boy blushed and hustled over to her. She nearly rolled her eyes. It had been like that all week- she'd ask him for something or say something to him and he'd clam up. In a short conversation with Eddy, she'd found out that he was terribly shy around girls._

_ He took a few pieces of wood from her, hands trembling. They walked side by side, silent._

_ "You know," she started, drawing his attention. "You know, you can think of me as an adult instead of a girl if it makes it easier. I _am_ supposed to be in charge here, after all."_

_ "P-pardon?"_

_ "If that's why you're having trouble talking to me, just look at me like I'm an adult. I mean, yeah, I'm a girl, but you'll have to get over that at some point in your life. Why not start now while you've got the opportunity?"_

_ "Oh, I see," he said, nodding. He got a glint in his eye, one she'd come to recognize as meaning that his thoughts were flying at a hundred miles an hour. "Yes, I think that may work..."_

"Miss Brightstream, could we take a break? I think Ed is having trouble..." the boy said, wringing his hands.

Kina stopped and nodded. "Yeah, let's do it. Lunch break, everyone."

It was only a few minutes before Ben came over to her, a worried look plastered across his features.

"Ed just got sick. I bet it's dehydration," he explained, voice low. "It doesn't look like he's doing too well, though, and we've got half a day's hike to go..."

Kina sighed and rubbed her temples. "Got it," she said, shaking her head. "How much power does your radio have?"

"Nearly full."

"Alright. Take the rest of the group and get to Camp Kidney as soon as possible and have them send out a med group. I'll stay with Ed and make sure he's okay."

"We're not leaving," came a young voice. Kina turned and found herself face to face with Eddy, who gave her a defiant look.

"He is our friend, you see. We have to stay," Edd explained, not meeting her eyes.

She exhaled and stood. "That's alright, I guess." She turned back to Ben and gave him a quick smile. "Let's do it. Keep them together on the hike, and if you lose one, I'll hurt you," she said, putting on a huge smile as Ben gave her a startled look. She grinned and put a hand on his shoulder. "In all seriousness, I know you can get them there fine and faster than I can."

"Plus you're better at first aid."

"There's that, too."

"Got it." He turned back towards the other kids. "Okay, guys! We've gotta get to Camp Kidney by sunset, so let's go!"

Kina, Eddy, and Edd watched the group go in silence. Once they were out of the way, Kina sighed and turned to her two healthy charges. "Eddy, start getting firewood ready. Double D, let's go help Ed out, okay?"

* * *

Kina sat in front of the fire, staring into it, feeling the weight of failure fall upon her back. Eddy was actually tending to Ed, keeping the washcloth pressed to his friend's forehead, watching him with an intense expression. She brought her knees up to her chin and watched them in silence, as Ed's fitful slumber faded into rest and Eddy fell beside him, exhausted.

She grabbed her stick and stoked the fire. Stood, grabbed a piece of fuel, set it on the blaze. Waited, hands in her pockets, staring off into the darkness. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.

The breeze shifted, sending smoke into her eyes. She blinked away the tears it had unlocked and sat once more, letting her eyes go unfocused.

A stick snapped behind her. She looked up, meeting Edd's concerned gaze. He looked away and stumbled over to the fire, dropping his load of wood next to it. After taking a careful moment to clear his clothing of bark, he brushed off a patch of earth and sat next to her.

"I'm certain that Ed will be fine," he said, voice low. The flames danced in his eyes, making them gleam. "It was most likely dehydration and some heat exhaustion, that's all. None of us are used to treks like this, and being the way he is, Ed almost certainly didn't listen to the advice we were offered.

When she didn't respond, he turned to look at her, a small smile on his face. "Come now, Miss Brightstream, it's most assuredly not your fault."

She half-smiled at the ground and shook her head. "Kina, Double D. Kina."

"Of course." They lapsed into silence staring at the flames. Kina felt her lids grow heavy and blinked, trying to keep them open.

"Let's talk." She turned to face Edd and sighed. "We've got to stay up and tend to fire anyway, so let's talk."

"About what, may I ask?"

She grinned. "About anything. Let's do... Question and answer. I ask a question, you answer, then ask me one. Got it?"

He thought for a moment. "It sounds as though it could be fascinating. Go ahead."

"Why'd you come to camp?" she asked, reclining against a tree trunk.

Edd thought about it for a minute before shaking his head. "I suppose my parents wanted me to receive some outdoor experience. In any event, Ed and Eddy were coming. Why did you decide to become a camp counselor?"

"I enjoyed camp as a kid, I like being outdoors, and it looks good on college transcripts. Why do you wear that beanie all the time?"

"I dislike my hair. Emphatically. Why do you like the outdoors?"

That stumped her for several minutes. She finally just smiled. "It's beautiful. I mean, look up at the stars. Can't see them in the city or the 'burbs. I don't know. It's more than that. Why don't you?"

He blinked. "I do not dislike the outdoors. In fact, I find nature fascinating in its many aspects. However, it's highly dangerous and covered in germs and dirt." He fell silent, looking into the fire. "I must say, the idea of being outside is growing on me. It's not as bad as I thought it would be. Where do you live?"

It took Kina a moment to react to the question. "In... what's it... Sector V. Kinda near the big tree house, to the north. Why do you ask?"

"I couldn't think of a different question. Do you ever get scared?"

"Of what?"

"Anything."

She thought about that, clasping her hands in front of her. "...yes. I do," she admitted. "I used to think I was fearless, but... I'm afraid of failure. Of losing the people I care about. Of the future. Of lots of things. Are you afraid of anything?"

"Undoubtedly. Not the least of which is losing my friends."

Kina looked at him, for a moment seeing beyond the facade he'd set up. Yes, he was bright, the intellectual, the boy who felt more like an adult than she did, but he was also a kid. Not even twelve yet. And here he was, biting back the fact that he was very worried about his friend. For her sake?

"Are you worried about Ed?" she asked, ignoring the fact that it was his turn.

Edd stared at her, confusion on his face. "Of course I am. He is one of my best friends. How could I not be?"

"Not sure. It's just... you seem like an unlikely group. How'd you meet?"

And Edd explained the bottomless Ed scheme, and how he'd been taken in by it. He even went into later adventures, highlighting how they worked together. He didn't gloss over the arguments or their issues, he told it as straight as he could, trying to get his point across, even though he wasn't quite sure what it was.

When he finished, Kina sat in silence, a small smile on her face. "I see," she whispered, stealing a glance at the other two boys. "It's like you're three parts of a whole. Not quite whole without them, them not quite whole without you."

"You could put it that way, yes. As though... we complete each other. And influence one another," he added, smiling as he thought of the multiple times that part had shown up.

"It's a reasonable fear, then," she said, and placed her arm around his thin shoulders. "You're right, though. There's nothing to worry about. So go to sleep, kid. I'll make sure everything's okay, got it?"

Edd nodded and curled up on the ground. As an afterthought, he gathered up a bunch of pine needles, piled them, and used his labeler to name them _pillow_.

Kina watched with some amusement and poked the fire, a feeling of satisfaction settling across her chest. Ed was peaceful in his slumber. Eddy was leaning against him, occasionally punching the bigger boy's belly to make a better pillow.

She looked away to hide the tears that welled up, unbidden. These boys...

Edd began to snore softly beside her. She fought down the bubble of laughter rising within her, almost lost it from utter exhaustion. After a moment, she looked up at the stars.

They really were beautiful that night. She cast a tender look over her young charges and wiped away her tears, a small smile creeping across her lips. She took a breath, and, ever so softly, began to sing.

"_Moon on the meadow, bugs in our ears. Smoke in our eyes, wet wood and tears. Up on the meadow, water somewhere. We were the only ones there._

_ "The tents, the cabins, the lake, the trees. Finding the love there, everyone seeks. Hiking to rainbows, sunsets and stars, just finding out who we are._

_ "We will return there, one lucky day. Our hearts will guide us, they know the way. People in cities don't understand falling in love with the land._

_ "Moon on the meadow, bugs in our ears. Smoke in our eyes, wet wood and tears. Up on the meadow, water somewhere. With you my friend, I am there._"

Kina let her voice fade into the silence and stared into the fire, lost in her own world.

"You've got an enchanting voice," Edd said, his own still as bright as ever. "Do you know any more songs like that?"

"A boatload. Why?" she responded, looking at him out of the corners of her eyes.

He sat up a little and shrugged. "Singing may aid in keeping you awake. And it may help Ed and Eddy stay asleep."

"And help you fall asleep?"

He gave her an indignant look. "I am no child, Miss Brightstream. I don't need a lullaby to enter slumber."

"For the last time, it's Kina. And if you did, it's not anything to be ashamed of. Music helps me unwind, which leads to falling asleep. But, yeah, I'll keep singing. Just try to get some rest," she commanded, and settled back against her tree, wondering what to sing next. After a moment, she closed her eyes and started again.

"_Say when will we ever meet again? Say when..._"

* * *

A/N: A little interlude before we jump back into the tale... Yeah, the flashback was awkward, but it's something that needed to make it in here. Songs were Moon on the Meadow, a song I learned at camp, and the beginning of Say When, another camp song. I didn't make them up, but I don't know who did, and whoever did is a genius. As an aside, updates will probably be flying in pretty fat, since I've got most of the next arc written and really want to do a winter holiday arc as well. Keep an eye out!


	17. Homecoming 1

A/N: In case you missed it, I updated Interlude Five with the date it happened (one year eleven months before the Invasion). Oops! Like I said before, updates are coming in fast, so be ready!

Disclaimer: I do not own FusionFall.

_

* * *

The Past_

_Two and a half months after the Invasion_

_Mid-September_

_Hero Square_

Dexter stood in front of the controls, watching the time machine out of the corner of his eyes. The structure had just flared to life, a green glow growing at the center of a huge circular portal, signaling the arrival of the first group of travelers. His gloved fingers hovered over the keys and buttons, paused, lost in their inability to do anything.

With a noise like rushing wind, three figures stepped out of the portal and onto solid ground. The shorter girl tripped and dropped to her knees, dragging her companion with her. The second girl rolled as she fell, landing so that she was looking up at the sky, head hanging over the edge of the platform they were on.

The third figure stayed standing, gaze raking across the amassed crowd. Finally, his eyes met Dexter's, and he smiled. Dexter returned it, wondering how his friend had managed to get such glaring scars and quashing the feeling of guilt that bubbled up inside.

The girl in the middle tilted her head back to stare at the crowd, still upside down on the platform. She grinned, tapped her heels together three times, and laughed. "There's no place like home!" she crowed, drawing a giggle from the crowd and unleashing absolute pandemonium. People rushed the stage, ready to administer aid, get their stories, their autographs, anything and everything. Dexter sighed and began to press the buttons laid out before him. His own welcome for them would come later. For now...

"Mandark," he said, staring at the screen in front of him. The image wavered, breaking into static every now and then, before coalescing into a recognizable form. Admittedly, this Mandark was two years older than the one he knew, but still recognizable.

"Dexter?"

Dexter blinked behind his glasses and frowned.

Mandark was silent.

"Well?"

"You already know, Dexter."

The young genius balled his hands into fists and slammed them against the table. "No!" he growled, tapping a few more keys. "I had hoped..."

"You knew, though. You might have hoped, but you still knew," Mandark said, voice flat. He looked away from the screen. "Thank you, though, for all you've done.."

Dexter was silent for a minute, gathering his thoughts. Finally, he sighed. "Tell them it didn't work at all, Mandark. It's the only way," he whispered, bowing his head.

The figure onscreen nodded once and ended the transmission with an abrupt jab at the controls.

Dexter shook his head, looked up, and composed himself. It was time to greet the time traveling trio.

* * *

"So let me get this straight. Only the Suburbs were left?" Ben asked, tapping the table with his knuckles. "No part of Downtown at all?"

"Well, Tech Square was there for a couple of days, but it didn't last very long," Kina answered, staring at the floor.

"And it was only part of the 'burbs," added Kestrel, leaning back in her chair. "Foster's and everything West of Genius Grove was gone, and the other places were islands in the sea of fusion matter."

"But the cardboard walls around the Cul-de-Sac were still standing? Interesting..." Edd mused, staring up at the ceiling. The four were seated in a small room in the Treehouse, with Kina and Kes debriefing the two Guides as well as they could.

Meanwhile, Tal sat on a pile of crates behind Dexter as the boy genius worked, tinkering with a small device.

He rubbed the scar above his eye, thinking. Once they'd fought their way out of the crowd, the three had had the chance to get a change of clothing and some good food. He now wore a less beat up yellow shirt over a dark pair of jeans, and, for the first time in a few months, sported clean brown hair. At a time like this, where he was alone in a room with his friend hard at work, he could almost think that everything was back to normal.

Except for the fact that, even here, locked away from everything else, the Devourer's influence seeped in. Dexter was far quieter than usual, and, although he'd denied it when Tal had asked, something was definitely bothering him.

"Is it the scar?" he asked.

Dexter stopped working and turned, giving Tal a long look. "What?"

"Is that's what got you all worked up?"

"No." He returned to fiddling with the device.

"Then what is it?"

"It's nothing for you to worry about."

"I've heard that one before," Tal answered, crossing his arms. "The future you said it to me, too, the night before we lost Tech Square and him with it."

This time, Dexter put down his work and sighed, leaning on the worktable. "Tal," he said finally, glancing back at the boy. "Trust me, please. It's nothing for you to worry about, really. Certainly nothing dangerous."

Tal sighed and closed his eyes, shrugging. "If you say so, Dex," he murmured.

The boy genius nodded. "I do. Now, I've been working on this for a while. Want to try it out?"

* * *

Kestrel walked out of the room and stretched, enjoying the feel of clean clothing on her body. She now sported a black tank top over a pair of cargo shorts. According to her Nanocom, they had high defensive stats, too, despite their skimpy appearance. She'd also pulled her hair up into a side ponytail and jammed a beanie down over her head.

Kina followed a few steps behind, still conversing with Ben and Edd about what she'd seen in the future. She now wore a simple red jacket over a white long-sleeved shirt, and red and white pants. Her dark hair was swept up into a normal ponytail, and, despite Kestrel's insistence that hats were totally the best thing to have, her head went uncovered.

"And you fought him? Single handed?" Edd asked. "Without getting severely hurt?"

She grinned. "Yeah, I did. Only I haven't been in much combat since then."

"You're about to see some more." Tal appeared from around the corner, followed by the resident genius. "Dexter's got a surprise for all of us. New Nanocoms!"

"Whadda they do?" Kes asked, immediately grabbing one from Tal's outstretched hands. It beeped once and lit up as her old one shut down. Without waiting for an answer, she tore the old one off her wrist and slapped her new com on, grinning.

"The main difference is in the formation of the nanos. We've worked on the method and have managed to create nanos without using the fusion matter from their respective Fusions. Using these new versions, you can simply pay an amount of fusion matter to create the nano of your choice," Dexter explained, crossing his arms. "There will be more nanos, of course, as we go along, but for now, I've uploaded the choices into your new Nanocoms."

"Sweet," Kina said, staring at her wrist. "Did you make the coms smaller, too?"

The barest hint of a smile flickered across him lips. "Yes, I noticed that they were rather... bulky. Inefficient use of space, I'm afraid."

"So, fighting?" Kestrel asked, her gun already in hand.

Tal smiled. "Yeah, I've got to get something from my house in Genius Grove and I heard the way is pretty dangerous alone. Anything you guys want?"

"Nah, I'm good. My parents evacuated in one of the first waves, so it's no big deal," Kes answered, waving it off. "Kina?"

The older girl stood still, staring at the floor. Ben and Edd exchanged a glance before walking away, taking a somewhat confused Dexter with them.

"I haven't asked about mine yet," Kina admitted, blinking. "I've been busy, and, to be frank, scared. Perhaps we should stop there... On the way back, though."

"Sounds like a plan!" Kestrel crowed, dancing down the hallway after the three boys.

Tal glanced at Kina. She was still looking at the ground, eyes wide and fearful. He swallowed, took a step, and put a hand on her shoulder, drawing her gaze.

"It'll be okay," he said, not quite sure what else he could add. But, after a second, she nodded and smiled.

"I'm sure you're right. Thanks, Tal," she murmured, and the two set off together.

* * *

"You'll have to be careful passing through Pokey Oaks. We've received reports of highly dangerous fusion monsters, although no one's been able to describe what they are yet. It sounds like Gravel Golems, but it could be something else, you never know," Blossom explained, walking beside the trio as she debriefed them. "If you do see them, try to get a clear description, if you would."

"No problem," Tal responded, summoning his sword as they arrived at the edge of the block the Treehouse was on.

"And if you want to avoid getting attacked, travel at night," she continued, stopping at the corner. "For some reason, the monsters go somewhat dormant once night falls."

"Will do," Kes chirped. She jumped off of the curb into the road and put her hands behind her head, grinning. "Nothing we can't handle, 'm sure!"

"Don't worry too much, Blossom. She's probably right about us being able to handle it," Kina assured the super-powered girl, following her companions away from the Treehouse.

Blossom sighed as she watched them go. "I know," she said, and waved. "But I can't help but worry..." she added under her breath, looking back at the monument in Hero Square.

* * *

"So we keep heading down this way, then...take a right, shoot down the main road, take another right, and we'll be there?" Kes asked, summoning her pistol and shoving it into a makeshift holster at her waist.

"Sounds like a good plan. Travel at night?" Tal asked, glancing at his Nanocom. It was only two in the afternoon.

"Everything looks okay so far. Why don't we keep going and see what happens?" Kina suggested. The other two nodded and set off after her, walking down the middle of the street.

After a few minutes of silence, Kestrel let out a heavy sigh. "Bored now," she muttered, glancing from one side of the road to the other. "Where're all the monsters, huh?"

"This isn't the Future, Kes. It's not as overrun," Tal answered, although he was watching the shadows between the buildings with a wary gaze.

"Still. I'm bored. There's not even any cars to dodge or anything, and it's too early in fall for leaves on the ground," she griped, scuffing her feet.

Kina glanced back at the girl. "I have noticed that. Where are all of the adults, I wonder? And all of the kids- we haven't seen anyone in ages."

"Most adults were evacuated after the initial invasion. The military tried to fight Fuse, but their weapons failed and they didn't do so well. Dexter told me that every weapon we have is actually modified to disrupt fusion matter," Tal explained, hefting his sword and smiling. "Plus, a lot of the older people totally freaked out and couldn't deal with the fact that aliens were invading, so we kids got stuck with the job of fighting them off."

"That does make sense. If I hadn't been involved with the time experiment, I probably wouldn't be dealing too well, either," Kina mused, glancing up at the ominous planet in the sky. It was further away than it was in the Future, but was still a disturbing sight to see, like a distorted moon in the cloudless blue sky.

"A lot of the kids who've been here are probably stationed in the Wilds or Downtown, or hanging out around Hero Square waiting for more people to come through the time machine," Tal continued.

Kestrel let out a low growl and put her hands on her hips. "Nice information and all, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm bored!" she cried, stomping her foot. At that moment, a group of Neighborhood Ninjas sneaked out of the shadows, intending to strike the group while they were unaware. Kes let out a war whoop and drew her pistol. "Finally!"

As Kina materialized her shattergun, Tal gripped his sword and ran forward. As one, the three attacked.

* * *

Other than a few more attacks, including one which confirmed Blossom's worry that the monsters were not, in fact, Gravel Golems, but Great Gravel Golems, the trek to Tal's house was uneventful. He had walked up to the door and knocked once before simply opening the door and walking in.

"My aunt and uncle shipped out pretty soon after Fuse arrived," he explained, showing the girls into the living room. "They left a bunch of cans and stuff in the pantry, though. We could spend the night here if you want."

"That's probably a good idea," Kina said, sitting on one of the couches. "No matter how easy the journey was, we don't want to tempt fate, right?"

"Mmhmm," he agreed, sighing. "You guys want anything, then?"

"What is there?"

"Hold on, I'll go check." He turned walked away, disappearing into another room.

Kestrel walked over to the mantelpiece and lifted one of the few photographs sitting there. It displayed a slightly younger Tal, looking forlorn between a nice looking man and woman. She stared at it for a moment before setting it down and sitting next to Kina.

"So, what do you think happened to his parents?" she asked, leaning back.

"What?"

"He said this is his aunt an' uncle's place, right? So where're his parents?"

"Dead."

Kestrel jerked upright and stared at the doorway, where Tal stood, a sad expression on his face. He sighed and crossed his arms, closing his eyes. "I might as well tell you guys what's up here. But first, anyone like chili?"

Kes could only stare at him, eyes wide. Kina glanced up at her, sighed, and stood. "Yeah, sounds good," she said, walking to him. She put a hand on his shoulder, gave him a short, small smile, and continued into the kitchen.

Kestrel blinked. "I, um. I'm sorry."

He curled his shoulders a bit more, leaning heavily on the doorframe. He shook his head and opened his eyes, meeting Kestrel's gaze with an even one of his own. "I'm not mad," he muttered. "That's just who you are, right?" With that, he turned and left, following Kina out of sight.

Kes bit her lip and leaned forward, watching him go out the corner of her eyes. A look of guilt flashed across her face as she glanced away. After another moment, she stood and walked into the kitchen, the faintest hint of a fake smile on her lips.


	18. Homecoming 2

A/N: I just have a quick question: I've been foreshadowing quite a bit. And I'll be foreshadowing even more in the future. Am I being too heavy? Too light? What do you think is going to happen? As always, enjoy, as well!

Disclaimer: I don't own FusionFall

* * *

Tal stood at the stove, stirring the three cans of chili over a low blue flame. Kes and Kina sat at the table behind him. Silence hung heavily in the room.

"So," Kina said finally, steepling her fingers on the table. "It's kinda remarkable that none of the houses have been vandalized, isn't it?"

Tal tapped the wooden spoon against the pot once and turned, grinning. "That's what happens when all the adults run off and leave kids in charge. Sure, we might stay up a bit late and eat too much junk food, but you don't get as much breaking and entering, looting, all that stuff."

"It's an unspoken honor code thing, too," Kes added. "Numbuh Two told me about it. Any kid who causes a ton of trouble is gonna be shunned by everyone else. We've got enough problems on our hands, so having to police ourselves would really stink."

"Chili's done," Tal announced. "Mind getting some bowls out of the cupboard? To the right of the sink."

Kina stood, found the right cupboard, and took down three bowls. On a whim, she opened the refrigerator and looked around. Smiling, she removed a block of unopened cheddar cheese and placed it on the counter. "Cheese, too," she announced. "I'll slice some up."

"I'll...um. What do you guys want to drink?" Kes asked, slowly getting to her feet.

"Water, if you don't mind."

"There should be glasses in the cupboard to the left of the sink, and some lemonade mix in the pantry," Tal said, moving the pot from the stove to a hot mat on the counter. "I think it's still good."

"Are there pitchers anywhere?"

"Same place as the glasses."

The three busied themselves setting the table and preparing the drinks until, finally, the chili was served. Thoroughly pleased with their work, they launched into the meal with gusto. After a few minutes, once everyone had spooned out seconds for themselves, Tal took a long drink of his lemonade.

"It all started about two hundred years ago," he said, lifting his spoon and watching the cheese strings stretch between it at the bowl.

Kina paused and looked over at him over the rim of her glass. Kes stopped still, spoon hovering between her bowl and her mouth. She blinked. "What started?"

"I'm getting there." Tal took a bite of chili and closed his eyes. Once he'd swallowed, he started again. "It was about two hundred years ago when a strange object fell out of the sky in a little town in northeastern America. A group of people set out to find it, thinking it was a message from God." He stopped again, taking another few bites.

"What was it?" Kina asked when he'd finished.

"A meteor, meteorite, whichever. Except for the fact that it was green. Out of the rock came a green figure that seemed to be made out of green jelly, or at least that's how they described it."

"Wait, that sounds like a..." Kestrel's eyes were wide, her spoon still awkwardly hovering.

Tal nodded. "Yeah. A fusion monster. It spoke to them, saying that, one day, the Great Devourer would arrive and consume the earth. He was the creature sent ahead to ease the Devourer's arrival, and he wanted human help. So he presented them with a choice- join him and become like gods when the Devourer arrived, or be consumed like all the rest.

"The group was split in the decision. One side wanted to give in to the alien's demands, praising him as the messenger of the Apocalypse or something. The other wanted to fight. And so they went their separate ways, taking on new names. The Darkyn, and the Lightsworn."

"So your ancestors were the ones who wanted to fight?" Kes asked, finally putting her spoon down.

Tal gave her a grim smile. "Yes and no. Hold on. Eat your chili before it gets cold," he commanded, continuing to eat his own.

They ate in silence for a few minutes until their bowls were clean, although Kes kept shooting Tal annoyed, searching looks. Finally, he took another drink of lemonade and sighed.

"My mom's last name was Lightsworn, but my dad...he was Darkyn." Before the two girls could respond, he continued. "He didn't know she was Lightsworn and fell in love with her, and her family took it as a way to get inside information on what the Darkyn were doing in preparation for the Devourer's...Fuse's coming. One thing led to another and I was born, and my father started to raise me as Darkyn.

"Only my mother didn't fully let him. She taught me things from the Lightsworn perspective, and, for a while, I thought I was being trained to protect against Fuse's coming. It wasn't until my eleventh birthday that I realized the truth... That I was supposed to fight against humanity and for Fuse. In order to protect me, my mother fought my father and both of them died in the battle."

"Tal..." Kina began, but he shook his head.

"It's okay, I came to terms with that a while ago. I came here, to Genius Grove, to live with my mom's half sister and her husband. They're Lightsworn, but not as close to the main family... The Darkyn have some offshoots, too, which I why I wanted to know about your family, Kes. I'm sorry about that."

"No problem," she said, voice small.

Tal sighed. "Anyways, they told me that, supposedly, the child of a Darkyn and a Lightsworn is supposed to be the harbinger of the Devourer's arrival, and the world would change completely depending on what path he chose." Here he stopped and closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair. "Only I wasn't here the day Fuse arrived, so I couldn't change anything. He still came, and he might still win."

"You're here to fight him now," Kina whispered, reaching over and putting a hand on his shoulder. Tal cracked an eye open and glanced at her, setting all four of the chair's feet back on the ground.

"Yeah, and you've got us by your side, too. Nothin' can go wrong. We'll beat 'im!" Kestrel chimed in, pumping a fist in the air.

Tal laughed lightly and smiled. "I'm sure we will. Thanks, guys," he said, before standing and starting to collect his dishes. "Now come on, we've got some work to do."

* * *

"This is my aunt and uncle's room. Either one of you guys can sleep in here if you want," Tal explained, opening one of the doors in the long hall.

Kes peeked in. "Ooh, it's a king-sized bed! Kina, wanna share it?"

"Uh..." she responded, then looked in as well. "Oh, it's a water bed, isn't it..."

"Yesssss," Kestrel muttered, running in and throwing herself on it. "Come on, it'll be like a sleep over!"

Kina glanced at Tal, shrugged, and followed the younger girl in. After a moment, she turned back to him. "Where're you sleeping?"

"The couch. I figure someone should stay up on guard duty, at least for a while."

"Fusions don't come out at night, remember? You should sleep in your own bed. It might be the last time for a while," she said with a small, sad smile. "Good night, Tal. Thanks."

"Yeah, good night," he answered as she slowly shut the door. He stood there for a second longer, listening to their raised voices and joyful yells before turning and heading to his own room. He paused, hand on the doorknob, and sighed before entering. After turning on the lights, he immediately went over to the bed, knelt, and pulled a box out from below it. With steady hands, he lifted off the cover. Nestled inside was his mother's sword. Tal, after learning that it was really the Sword of Light, had named it 'Luz', after the Spanish word for light.

He drew it from its scabbard. Holding the weapon delicately in his right hand, he scanned it into his Nanocom. This was the thing he'd come for, of course. Dexter wouldn't even have to tinker with it- it had been forged to fight Fuse in the first place.

With a grim smile, he called Luz back into the material world and took a couple of practice swings. Satisfied, he sent it back, grabbed the scabbard, and walked out of the room. No matter what Kina said, he would not sleep long that night.

* * *

"So!" Kestrel started, lying on her stomach on the bad. She propped her chin up with her hands and grinned. "Whatcha wanna do?"

Kina turned, raising an eyebrow. "Um, sleep?" she answered, already having materialized the second set of clothes she kept stored in her Nanocom.

The other girl groaned and rolled onto her back. "Boring. Let's do girl talk."

"You don't strike me as the girl talk type."

"I'm not," she answered, face suddenly taking on a serious look. "It's just something to talk about."

"Tal, you mean." The older girl nodded and sat on the bed. "What's up?"

"Whaddaya mean, what's up? With Tal? Nothing at all," she said. She sat up, bouncing a little with the waterbed. "Nothing at all whatsoever."

"I think you're telling a little lie," Kina countered.

"Why would I do that?"

"To protect your feelings. You seem pretty... closed off, if you know what I mean. Like you won't talk about your feelings."

Kes snorted. "I hate talking about that crud. It's so...so...!"

"Aggravating, I know. Especially when you like someone who doesn't like you back," she continued, leaning back and putting her hands behind her head.

Kestrel stiffened, hand clenching. After a moment, she sighed and leaned back as well. "Am I that obvious?" she asked, voice small.

"Just to me. I've seen it before. Done it before, too. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"But..."

"No buts. If you want, I'll help you with it, try and steer him towards you."

"Kina..." Kestrel started, but stopped, staring at the ceiling.

"Hmm?" She raised an eyebrow and turned, looking at the younger girl.

Kes shook her head. "Nothin'," she muttered, and closed her eyes. If this older girl, who thought herself so smart about everything, couldn't see it... Who was she to tell her, right? "Let's get some sleep. Gotta go back tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow night, we can stay at my house." Kina's voice sounded far away, sleepy, as though filled with cotton.

Kes turned on her side and curled up. She really hoped that was true.

* * *

The three stepped out the door, Tal closing and locking it behind them. He took a bite of the Eggo waffle that hung in his mouth, catching it with one hand as it fell.

"Show off," Kestrel muttered, polishing off the last bit of her own.

Kina just grinned and shook her head. "Did you get what you needed?" she asked, giving him a sideways glance.

"Yeah," he answered. "Wep-change," he added, as Luz appeared in his hand.

"Wow, that's so cool," Kes breathed, staring at it.

Tal grinned and slid it into the sheath at his waist. "Yeah. Luz was made to defeat Fuse's forces, so I figured it'd be a good sword to have along."

"Good thinking," Kina said before stepping forward. "Shall we go, then?"

"Mmhmm," Kes agreed, manifesting her pistol and sliding it into the holster once more. "Let's hope it's more exciting than yesterday!"

"Let's not," Tal muttered, but set off after them with a smile on his face.

* * *

It was, in fact, Tal who was more correct. While a few bands of Sneaky Spawns and Pesky Pony's did attack the three, they had no trouble destroying the monsters. Luz was a whirlwind in Tal's hands, hacking through the weak fusion monsters as if they were nothing at all. Kina held her own with her shattergun, drawing the attention of quite a few monsters, keeping herself safe with Nano Eddy's guard ability. Kes's well placed shots covered her friends' backs from nearby while her Buttercup nano flitted around her, keeping the monsters from sneaking up on her.

And so it was that the three stepped back into Sector V sometime around noon. They set off up the street, Kina walking backwards with a bounce in her step and her hands shoved into her pockets.

"Kes, you're going to like my younger sister. She's not quite as outgoing as you, but she's got a wild streak. I don't know if my parents will be there, since all of this Fuse stuff is going on, but she'll be, I know it. I'm a little surprised she's not in the thick of things! Maybe that cold kept her in..." she babbled, a goofy grin plastered on her face.

Tal and Kes exchanged a glance but remained silent. A cool breeze rushed down the street after them, kicking up the dust and grime that had accumulated there and rustling the leaves in the trees. Soon, they would begin to change into their fall colors, burning brightly for a short time before falling gently down to carpet the earth. Tal spent an idle moment wondering if the coming of Planet Fuse could somehow affect the weather, hand unconsciously falling to rest on the hilt of his sword.

Kestrel followed this motion with her eyes, her usual smile tightening into a small frown. Her own hand dropped to her pistol, and, although the sun was bright and high in the sky, she squinted at the shadows of buildings, trying to find the source of this odd feeling.

And then it hit them, the cold wash of dread, as they turned the corner. Every house on the block was in worse shape than the other blocks and fusion monsters roamed freely. Even Kina, who had her back to the devastation, paused for a moment, eyes wide. Slowly, she looked over her shoulder, staring up the short street, eyes wandering until....

In an instant, she turned and broke into a sprint, heart pounding in her ears. It couldn't be. She'd come so far...come back from the future to see them...held onto that hope the whole time...and...

Kestrel and Tal took off after her without a word. She skidded around another corner, hardly slowing, before screeching to a halt in front of one of the other houses. Kes nearly crashed into her back, saved only when Tal lashed out with an arm and yanked her to a stop.

The two looked at the older girl. She was stiff, head tilted downwards, eyes tightly shut. Her hands were clenched into fists, her breath came in short gasps. Slowly, she seemed to calm herself, the inhale and exhale fading to their usual noise level and tempo. She grit her teeth, squeezed her fists one last time, looked up...

And opened her eyes.


	19. Homecoming 3

Disclaimer: By this time, it should be clear. I do not own FusionFall.

* * *

Kina stared at the ruined house, uncomprehending. Caterplugs and Sneaky Spawns swarmed the front lawn, spilling out of the broken door, sitting around the gaping hole in the roof.

"One of the Terrafusers musta... Good Lord. Kina, I'm so sorry," whispered Kestrel, eyes locked on the devastation.

The elder girl went rigid, fists clenched. "No," she forced from between locked teeth. "It can't be." She brought her Nanocom to her lips, shaking. "Computress. Tell me the truth. My family. Are they alive?"

Tal bit his lip and stepped towards her, hand outstretched. Her Nanocom beeped and Computress appeared, stopping him in his tracks. _No_¸ he mouthed, far too late.

"_They were terminated during the initial invasion. I'm sorry, Brightstream_," the robot said softly. She looked away and her image dissipated.

Kina remained stock still, staring at her wrist. Tears started sliding down her cheeks, unchecked, unnoticed.

"Kina? Are you gonna be okay?" Kestrel asked, looking up at her friend. She blinked. The girl's face was empty, emotionless. Her eyes seemed sightless. She was shaking again, so violently...

All at once, Kina snapped her gaze up to the house. A feral snarl escaped her lips as rage entered her eyes. The shaking stopped, though she remained stiff, taught as the string of a bow.

"Com. Equip Lightning Sword as weapon one," she whispered, voice utterly calm. She watched the readout of her Nanocom, gaze sliding up to the house every few seconds. The sword materialized in her hand and she laughed, the noise escaping her like a short-lived bubble.

"What are you doing?" asked Tal, concern adding an edge to his voice. His eyes remained locked on the girl, unwavering.

Kina turned and met his gaze, giving him a deranged half-grin. "What do you think I'm doing, Lightsworn?" She spread her hands, tilting her head to the side and letting her sword dangle. When he didn't respond, she frowned and looked away, darkness taking her expression. She looked back, face hard and filled with rage. "_I'm taking my revenge_," she hissed.

Tal blinked and stepped back. "W... Wait!" he cried, too late. She had already turned and leaped at the first Caterplug, cleaving one of its legs away from the body. She howled and spun, drawing the attention of the nearest Spawns, and dispatching them in a whirling dervish of blade and fist.

"Darn it! Crud! Kestrel, make sure she doesn't get herself killed. I'll call in backup," he commanded, already pressing the button to call the KND Treehouse. He paused, shaking his head. "And maybe come up with some harsher curses," he muttered.

Kestrel drew her pistol, aiming at a Caterplug that had gotten behind her friend. A cavalier grin on her face, she ran over, ducking Kina's blind attack.

"Hey, I'm here to help. I've got your back," she said, shooting the offending monster before it got in an attack.

The older girl didn't seem to hear her. She stared at Kestrel for a moment before turning and destroying more attacking monsters. After a few more seconds, she spared another glance, eyes somewhat more focused.

"I want to get in. I want to destroy Fusions. Don't get in my way," she growled, continuing her attack.

For her part, Kestrel simply nodded and went back to blasting.

* * *

"I know it's unconventional, but she's going to get herself killed. _Yes_, she has help, but she's freaking lost it, okay? I'm talking blind rage. _Yes_, Akinas Brightstream. Blind rage." He growled in frustration. "Look, just _send backup. NOW!_" he shouted.

"_Lightsworn?_" Blossom's voice issued from his Nanocom. "_Just sit tight and keep her safe. We're sending a team_."

"Finally," he muttered, before manifesting his own sword. He looked up. Fusion matter was splattered across the lawn, all over the walls and roof, as well. Several burns in the grass and along the house itself indicated that Kina had changed over to her shattergun at some point. Just how long had his call taken? And where were the girls?

A feeling of dread creeping into his chest, he ran for the door. The inside hadn't fared much better. Burns, fusion matter, and even a few drops of blood stained the hall, leading him up the stairs and into the room on the left.

He looked in, uncertain of what he might find, and startled himself by running into Kestrel. The girl leaned against the door frame, gave him a short look, and held her finger to her lips. She pointed at the nearby bed. Tal looked.

Kina knelt in front of it, head bowed, hands clasped. Her rifle was lying on the ground, forgotten. The tears had started anew, accompanied by choked sobs. She was clutching what appeared to be a picture frame, broken, burned, cracked, blackened.

"No..." she moaned, a wounded-animal sound, a pitiful, weak, cry. "_No...._ God, no..."

Tal lowered his head and turned away, leaving the room. Kestrel followed, a firm grip on her pistol. She looked at him with expectant eyes.

"A team will be here in a couple of minutes," he whispered, refusing to meet her gaze. "Until then, we keep everything else out of that room."

* * *

_Late September_

_The Treehouse_

_Sector V_

"How is she?" Kes asked as Tal exited the room.

He gave her a hollow glance, dark circles standing out under his eyes. He sighed and rubbed his temples, leaning against the wall. "Not so good," he muttered, covering his eyes with his palm and sliding down to the floor. "She won't talk to anyone. Just lays there on her bed. She's hardly eating, too. Barely enough to say so."

"Dang it..." Kes whispered, following him down and leaning back against the opposite wall. "What do they say we can do?"

"Nothing," he answered, still covering his eyes. "Nothing at all."

"What?"

"They have no idea. They're used to dealing with cuts and bruises, Kes, not this kind of trauma! There are whole rooms full of kids dealing with the same kind of crud and they can't do anything!" His voice grew loud, forceful, but broke in the middle of his words.

"Shi-nng." Kestrel grimaced and cut herself off. "Crud. Agh!" she cried, slamming her hands against the floor. "I just want to _do_ something and make it better!"

Tal blinked and looked over at her. Her cheeks shone with tears, but her eye flashed with brilliant anger. He looked down at his Nanocom, a small, sad look passing across his face.

Kestrel sniffed and wiped her arm across her face. "Dang it. Dang it. Dang it..." she whispered, a mantra against the emotions roiling inside her. "Dang it..."

"...let's stay in for a while," he said finally, still staring towards his hands. "Maybe if we stick around, we can try to help out. With the younger kids, with anyone else, with..." He curled one hand into a fist. "It's not _fighting_ fighting, but it's still doing _something_..."

"What the heck can we do, Tal? I'm a fighter and it looks like you are, too. You want me to start sayin' pretty things to little kids to make 'em feel better?" She let out a bark of laughter, oddly reminiscent of the one Kina had let out on that dark day. "I'm more likely to scare 'em."

"...Kina did it once, in the Future. She got everyone to calm down somehow on the first night, and the second night. I don't really know how she did it, though," he muttered, pulling his knees up to his chest.

Kes watched him out the corner of her eye, and, after a second, shrugged. "I dunno. I came in the second wave, pretty near the end, and I fell asleep immediately that night."

"We can still try."

She rested her arms on her knees, pulled up near her chest. Sighing, she put her chin on her arms and closed her eyes. "I s'pose you're right. Just don't expect too much..."

Tal stood and held a hand out to her. She regarded it with one half-open eye, and, with another sigh, took it. He pulled her to her feet and started off down the hallway.

After a moment's hesitation, Kes turned and rapped once on Kina's door. "Hey in there!" she shouted, not caring when Tal shot her a startled look. "Look, Kina, we're off to do your job for you. I don't care how long you wanna sleep, but you gotta get up sometime, hear me? And don't you dare sleep through fall, it's the best time of year, so hurry up, got it?" With that, she hit the door once more with the side of her fist. "You hear me?!" she shouted once more before turning and running down the hall past Tal.

He watched her go, a look of confusion on his face. He looked back at the door, walked over to it, and put his left hand against the smooth wood. He closed his eyes, tilted his head down, and let out a long breath.

"Get well soon, Kina," he whispered. "We need you."

He turned and walked away from the empty hall, trying to hold in the dark emotions swirling within him.

* * *

In the darkness of the small room, she let out a small, wounded noise. Locked in her dark dreaming, Kina lay on her side, curled into the fetal position, hands entangled in a fold of the blanket. Deep inside her dream, she sat on the dock at Leaky Lake. It was shrouded in mist and fog, the sunlight almost completely blocked by the swirling whiteness all around her.

The voices of her friends echoed hollowly around the lake. She closed her eyes and brought her hands to her heart, clenching them in front of her chest and squeezing her eyes shut against the coming tears.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, voice small and soft in the empty landscape. "But it hurts too much..."

She curled her knees towards her chest and hugged them close. Somehow, she had to get away from the pain... There was no escaping reality, but still... But still...

She locked herself away in that tiny, mist-filled dreamland.

She opened her eyes to a small dark room. The tears dried on her cheeks as she regarded the picture on the bedstand next to her with hollow eyes.

Kina turned her back on the photo and stared at the wall, emotionless.


	20. Homecoming 4

Disclaimer: FusionFall is not owned by me

* * *

_Early October_

There was a soft knock at Kina's door. She didn't look up, react in any way, but the girl still entered.

"Hi, Kina," Blossom whispered.

The elder girl looked up at her, eyes dark. "What do you want?" she asked, voice flat.

Blossom stepped over to the nightstand, taking a quick glance around the room. It was mostly bare, with only a cot, the stand, and a picture frame. She focused back on Kina and held out her hand. "We found this on... Well, we found this after the invasion. I thought you might like to have it," she said, opening her hand.

Kina stared at it, entranced. "Ellen's locket," she breathed, picking it up with reverential care. The silver had been blackened and it had melted closed, but it was recognizable as her locket. Inside, if it hadn't burned up, was a picture of the two of them. Both young, but hugging one another as tight as they could. She looked into Blossom's eyes, her own clearer than they'd been in a month. "Thank you."

"It was... Never mind." She sat on the bed next to the older girl and sighed. "I know what it's like, to lose a sister, you know. Buttercup went missing after a fight with Mojo Jojo, and we still haven't found her..."

Kina stiffened. After a moment, she returned to turning the locket over and over in her hands. "You mean no one's told you?" she asked.

"Told me what?"

Kina's mouth spread into a cold grin that didn't quite reach her eyes. "In the future, Buttercup was alive and well."

"What? Where?! How?!" Blossom jumped off the bed, halfway to the door within a second.

"I don't know. But you get her back. I don't know how or when, but you get your sister back." She looked down at the broken locket in her hands, her voice growing cold, her eyes descending back into the dark. "I can never get my sister back."

Blossom stopped, staring at the door handle in her hand. She closed her eyes and looked away. "I'm sorry, Kina. You have no... Thank you. I'm so..." Her voice cut off, choked and confused. She shook her head and left the room, murmuring more half-gratitudes, half-condolences.

Kina blinked and closed her hand around the locket, face settling back into its emotionless stare.

* * *

Edd waited until the next day to approach her. He knocked on the door, but received no response.

"Just go in," the boy at his right said, eyes averted. "She won't mind?"

"That would be terribly impolite," Edd answered.

"No, it's okay. She needs all the help she can get," the girl on his other side responded. "Even if she doesn't want it."

"We're her friends. If you think you can do anything, please, do it," the boy said, still not looking up.

Edd sighed, but opened the door and went in. Kina was lying on the cot, hands behind her head, staring at the gray ceiling. He cleared his throat and waited.

There was no response.

"Ah, Miss Brightstream? It's Double D. From the Cul-de-Sac."

She turned until she was facing away from him, curling up into a semi-fetal position. Edd watched this with some interest.

"In any event, I wanted to give you my condolences. And this," he said, setting down the object he'd been carrying next to the frame and the necklace. And he waited.

After a minute, Kina sat up and faced him, gaze straying down to the new object on her table. It was a wooden mind puzzle, a simple-seeming one with a few long pegs that slid and clicked into place. She picked it up, raised an eyebrow, and looked expectantly at the boy.

"Do you remember two summers ago? When you were a camp counselor?" he asked, returning her gaze with an even look of his own.

"Yes." Her voice seemed oddly out of place, too quiet for the silence of the room.

"I assume, then, that you recall who was in your group."

"You and your friends."

Edd waited, refusing to make it easy for her. "And you know what happened on the trek, correct?"

She stared at him, face blank. "Yes. Ed got sick. What are you...?"

"Patience. We'll get there eventually. That night, Miss Brightstream. Do you remember our discussion?" The boy leaned against the wall, keeping his gaze steady.

"The Ask and Answer game."

"And we got to...?"

"Fears," she said, a glimmer entering her eyes. Edd watched this with interest, wondering just how she felt.

"And?" he prompted, hoping that he wasn't pushing her too hard.

"I told you mine. And you said that you were afraid of losing... your friends."

"Indeed. Do you remember exactly what we said?"

She thought about it, gaze dropping to the puzzle in her hand. "It was... how you're all part of each other. How you complete one another."

"Yes." He reached over and took the puzzle. "That's where this visual aid comes in. Imagine that this is me. All of the people I know are the rods. Me, my soul, if you'd like, is contained in the center."

"So the people you care for form you."

"Correct. However, if I were to lose a few of them, say, Ed and Eddy..." He set the puzzle down and removed two of the rods. The puzzle collapsed, revealing the shining quarter at its center.

"You fall apart. Like I did. Are you trying to help me here?" she asked, voice taking on a snide, disinterested tone.

He held up a hand, a wry smile inching into his expression. "I'm not finished yet." He set the two rods aside and picked up the remaining mess. "You see, this puzzle, and this metaphor, are not only what they seem. Even missing two pieces, the puzzle can be put back together in such a way that it holds the quarter." With a few deft movements, it was whole again.

Kina stared at the new form in his hands and sighed. "It looks different."

"But it still functions. My soul is still in there. The shape is simply altered."

"I see." She fell into a brooding silence, staring at the puzzle. "You're changed, but..."

"I stay the same at my heart."

"You wouldn't get over them that quickly," she responded, a vindictive look in her eyes.

"Of course not. That's where this particular center comes in," he said, shaking the puzzle so the quarter rattled. "This quarter is the one I gave Eddy and Ed when I met them, during the Bottomless Ed scheme. Therefore, even if I lose them on the outside..."

"They stay with you." Her tone stayed low and dead, but something had changed in her face.

Edd saw that and smiled. "Correct. Miss Brightstream. Your family may be gone, but they are still a part of you. You have been fractured, utterly broken, but you can pick up the pieces. Rebuild yourself. Always remember your family, but find new pieces. Your two loyal friends outside of this room, for example, or any number of the people in this town. You'll be irrevocably changed, but you are still you, no matter what." He paused, looking into her face. Her eyes were misted over and a blush had appeared in her cheeks.

As though feeling his gaze, she looked up and blinked, releasing the threatening tears. She blinked again and ran a hand across her face.

Edd politely ignored the display and busied himself with removing his quarter and rebuilding the puzzle. When he finished, he handed it to Kina, who stared at it in silence, tears finished.

"Well, best of luck, Miss Brightstream. I hope to see you again soon," Edd said, walking over to the door.

"Double D."

He stopped, glancing back over his shoulder. Kina was staring up at him, the puzzle still in her hand. She gave him a sad little smile that slowly turned wry, bringing a glimmer of light back to her face.

"It's Kina, Edd. For the last time."

"Right," he said, and left the room. He answered the boy's gaze with a nod, and endured the handshake from him and the emphatic hug from the girl. As he walked away, he paused to look back, hearing the sudden chatter of voices from Kina's room. The girl was already inside, talking rapidly and gesturing about something or other. The boy was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, a satisfied smile on his face.

Kina was smiling and nodding at the other girl, giving the boy quick, happy glances. She noticed Edd's gaze and met his eyes, gratitude shining from her own.

"_Thank you_," she mouthed, and smiled.

He smiled back, turned, and walked away.

* * *

A/N: Hope you guys are enjoying! The Homecoming arc is almost done and I've got two arcs to cover before Christmas. As soon as I finish writing the remaining chapters, the updates will be coming in hard and fast. As always, reviews are appreciated. Until next time!


	21. Homecoming 5

Disclaimer: I do not own FusionFall, nor do I own any of the songs used. The info on them is given at the end of the chapter.

* * *

Kina stepped out of her room for the first time in weeks, smiling. Tal and Kestrel trailed behind her, chatting and waving to others in the halls.

"What time is it?" Kina asked, glancing at her wrist. She'd forgotten to put her Nanocom back on.

Tal sighed. "Oh, it's around eleven at night. But the Treehouse is still jumping, of course," he muttered. When Kina shot him a questioning glance, he shook his head. "Work all around the clock. It's great for kids who didn't like bedtimes, but it'll get old fast."

"Not to mention the group sleeping arrangements while they build more rooms," Kestrel added, running a hand through her hair. "It's a total nightmare. There've been so many displaced kids, and they're all staying here."

"Displaced?" Kina asked, stopping and turning to face them. Tal stopped as well, but Kestrel walked straight into the older girl. She backed up with an apologetic grin.

"Yeah. Their houses were destroyed or they're too young or…" Tal paused, glancing at Kina.

"Or they lost their families," Kes finished, crossing her arms and giving her a steady gaze.

"I see." Kina closed her eyes. "Where exactly are the communal rooms?"

"Down this hall to the right. Why?"

She smiled and opened her eyes. "You guys head to the dining hall without me. I'm gonna see if I can help," she said, and walked away.

Tal and Kes exchanged a glance, shrugged, and started off after her.

* * *

The room was huge. It took up half the width of the tree's trunk and nearly a fifth of its height. Mats and sleeping bags were spread across the floor, leaving hardly any space between beds. Older agents, operatives, and others wandered from bed to bed, trying to comfort the worried children. Kina flagged one haggard girl down.

"How old are the kids in here?" she asked, staring intently into the nurse's eyes.

"This room… Anywhere from five to twelve, I think. Why?" she answered, already sidling off.

"I might be able to help. I've got experience with homesick kids at camp, so I might at least be able to get them to sleep, even if it takes a while."

The nurse stared at her for a moment before shrugging. "Can't do any worse than us," she conceded. "Go ahead and try. If you can get them all to sleep, I'll buy you a Jawbreaker."

"Thanks," Kina said, nodding. She looked for an open space, finding one near the center of the room. As she picked her way over to it, she glanced at the surrounding kids. They were all very young, with dark circles under their eyes and tear stains on their cheeks. Her heart broke with sympathy.

Tal and Kestrel trailed behind her. "What're you going to do?" Kes asked as they finally came to a stop.

Kina took a breath and looked at her two friends. "At camp, there were often kids that got really homesick. I found that singing to them helped them get to sleep, at least. Certain songs can even make them feel less homesick. I'm going to try a few songs, see what happens."

"Uh huh. If you can do that with this crowd, you can call me a monkey's uncle," Kes responded, sitting down.

Tal shook his head, but gave Kina a smile before he sat. "Good luck. You'll need it."

She rolled her eyes. "Right. Thanks for the support, guys. I've only been next to comatose for half a month." She smiled to let them know she was kidding before turning back to the task at hand.

She closed her eyes and thought. What to sing? She listened, waited, felt the energy in the room. And slowly, a song list formed in her mind.

She started stepping in place, turning slowly so that she took in the whole room. She stopped, looking down at the two. "This is a call and repeat song. I'll need your help."

"Humph," said Kestrel, but she rolled her eyes and nodded. "Sure. Fine. Whatever."

"Good." Kina explained the one tricky part of the song, checked that they were ready, and started to sing.

"_Purple light (purple light), in the canyon (in the canyon). That's where I (that's where I), long to be (long to be). With my three (with my three), good companions (good companions)…_

_ "My rifle, my pony, and me."_

Kina glanced down at her echoes with a smile before continuing, their voices fading into pure melody as a few of the kids joined them.

"_Whippoorwill, in the willows, sings a soft, melody, for my three, good companions…_

_ "My rifle, my pony, and me._

_ "Gonna hang, my sombrero, on the limb, of a tree, for my three, good companions…_

_ "My rifle, my pony, and me._

_"No more cows, to be ropin', no more strays, shall I see, just my three, good companions…_

_ "My rifle, my pony, and me._"

By the end, they had everyone's attention, half of them joining in. Kina gave them all a warm smile. "Alright guys. That was really good, but it's time for bed. I'll stick around and serenade you for a while, though, okay? Everyone get to their beds, please. I'll wait a few minutes."

She turned to see Tal and Kestrel standing behind her. "Got any more repeat songs?" Tal asked, a small smile on his face.

Kina shook her head. "A simple round, though, should go over well. Then you guys can help tuck kids in, if you want."

Kestrel gave her one of those half-smiles. "Just teach us the cruddy song already. We'll do what you want, miss invalid."

Kina giggled and taught them the song. Once everyone was settled, she had the nurses dim the lights to almost nothing. A shared look, and they began.

"_Chairs to mend, old chairs to mend!_

_ "Mackerel, fresh mackerel!_

_ "Any old rags, any old rags?_"

It was short and lively, but sounded wonderful. They sang it three times, as per the rule of rounds, and stopped amid a smattering of applause. Kina winked at the other two as they slid away to tuck kids in. She braced herself. This one might not go over too well, but it was worth a shot. Besides, the kids needed to cry, even if it was when they were supposed to be asleep.

"_Come stop your crying, it'll be alright. Just take my hand, hold it tight. I will protect you from all around you. I will be here, don't you cry._

_ "For one so small, you seem so strong. My arms will hold you, keep you safe and warm. This bond between us can't be broken, I will be here, don't you cry._

_ "'Cause you'll be in my heart, yes, you'll be in my heart, from his day on, now and forever more. You'll be in my heart, no matter what they say. You'll be here in my heart, always…_

_ "Always…_"

She stopped, listening. There were more stifled tears, more sniffles, more quiet tears, but no one seemed bothered by them. They were healing. She decided to continue down her dangerous path.

"_If you leap awake in the mirror of a bad dream, and for a fraction of a second you can't remember where you are, just open your window and follow your memory upstream to the meadow in the mountain where we counted every falling star._

_ "I believe the light that shines on you will shine on you forever, and thought I can't guarantee there's nothing scary hiding under your bed, I'm gonna stand guard like a postcard of a Golden Retriever and never leave until I leave you with a sweet dream in you head._

_ "I'm gonna watch you shine, gonna watch you grow, gonna paint a sign so you always know as long as one and one is two, there could never be a father love his daughter more than I love you…_

_ "Trust your intuition, it's just like goin' fishin', you cast your line and hope you get a bite. But you don't need to waste tea or time, worryin' 'bout the marketplace, tryin' to help the human race, struggling to survive its harshest night._

_ "I'm gonna watch you shine, gonna watch you grow, gonna paint a sign so you always know as long as one and one is two, there could never be a father love his daughter more than I love you…_

_ "I'm gonna watch you shine, gonna watch you grow, gonna paint a sign so you always know as long as one and one is two, there could never be a father love his daughter more than I love you…_"

There were sobs all around her now, hardly concealed. She lowered her gaze, blinking back her own tears.

"_I'm lucky there's a sun, I'm lucky there are stars, I'm lucky there's a moon and a sky, and when I go to bed, lay down my sleepy head, I'm lucky there's you and I…_"

There was more to that song, but she could never remember it. She waited in silence as the kids settled around her, some sleeping, some crying, some wide awake. She sighed and gestured for the lights to be dimmed further. When it was dark, she started humming, something low and repetitive. Slowly, she started to walk around, tucking in here, a soft touch on the forehead there, singing so quietly that it was mostly tone and melody that were heard, not the words.

"_We're a rainbow made of children. We're an army just singin' our song. There's no weapon that can stop us. Rainbow love is much too strong._

_ "I was born in Mississippi, sayin' 'yes sir' to all the men. But I found that got me nowhere, so I never said it again._

_ "We're a rainbow made of children. We're an army just singin' our song. There's no weapon that can stop us. Rainbow love is much too strong._

_ "I was taught that black was evil. I was taught that white was good. But in a rainbow made of children, every color is understood._

_ "We're a rainbow made of children. We're an army just singin' our song. There's no weapon that can stop us. Rainbow love is much too strong._

_ "May the circle be unbroken, by and by, Lord, by and by. There's a better home awatin', in the sky, Lord, in the sky._

_ "We're a rainbow made of children. We're an army just singin' our song. There's no weapon that can stop us. Rainbow love is much too strong._"

The song was ridiculously long and fell at the bottom of her range, which she was much better at belting in, but she sang it to the end. When she finished, every child in the room had fallen asleep, including some of the attending agents, nurses, and operatives. She smiled to herself as she saw Tal and Kestrel sitting against a wall, heads slumped together in slumber.

Kina sighed and rubbed her throat, realizing that she was hoarse. Time for some milk, she supposed. Maybe some food. What time was it now? She looked at her wrist again, forgetting, shrugged, and wandered off in search of the dining room.

A figure in the corner detached from the darkness, reddish eyes watching her leave. The form ran a hand through its short hair and looked down at its wrist.

The Nanocom said that it was nearly one thirty in the morning. The figure smiled, glanced back up towards the girl, and melted into the shadows.

* * *

A/N: The first song is known as "Purple Light". It is not the one by Ricky Nelson. I leaned it at Girl Scout Camp. The second song is "Chairs to Mend", another camp song, that is meant to mimic the cries of people selling things in old England. The third is "You'll Be in My Heart", by Phil Collins, from the movie Tarzan, from 1999. The fourth song is "Father and Daughter", by Paul Simon, from The Wild Thornberries soundtrack. The next is known as "Lucky", it's another camp song, and I couldn't find the rest of the lyrics anywhere. The last song is "Rainbow Made of Children". It appears to be a Scout song and has a LOT of variations. I went with the one I learned. So, as you can see, I did not come up with any of these songs. Most of them are just camp songs. You should try to look them up and listen, they're all really good. Until next time!


	22. Homecoming 6

Disclaimer: FusionFall is still not owned by me.

* * *

Kina and Tal wandered into the cafeteria the next morning, bleary-eyed and dragging. It was far too early, only eight, especially after the late night. But both of them had missed dinner and were absolutely starving.

Tal yawned as he led Kina to the breakfast line, picking up a bowl of cereal and adding a dash of milk. He snagged one of the many bananas, picked up a cup of orange juice, and walked over to a table.

Kina trailed behind, precariously balancing her own bowl of cereal, a poptart, and a cup of cocoa. She sat across from him with a frown. "No coffee," she griped, swirling the chocolate drink she'd grabbed instead.

Tal laughed. "Yeah, no one else really drinks it here, so they don't stock any. It's a little unfortunate."

"I miss coffee," she continued, giving him a forlorn look. "So nice and caffeiney and bitter." Her already sleep-filled eyes misted over, entranced by the idea.

"Hey, wake up," Tal said, snapping his fingers in front of her face. She blinked, shook her head, and shot him a sheepish grin.

"Sorry. I'm kind of a zombie most mornings," she explained before taking a bite of her poptart.

"S'okay. No one here really likes getting up." He peeled his banana, glancing around in fear that a Skyway Agent would notice and steal it. It had happened many times to others.

"Mmph," she said around a bite of cereal. Tal raised an eyebrow, suppressing a grin, and shook his head.

"Food. Now. Less trying to talky, more food eaty," he joked, taking a huge bite of his banana. They continued in silence, laughing around their meals at various points.

When they were nearing the end of their meals, a shadow fell across their table. Tal looked up, expecting Kestrel with her own pile of food.

It wasn't her. It was a boy he didn't recognize. He looked about seventeen, possibly older. He was tall and slender, though Tal could tell that he was strong. Well-kept jet black hair topped a face with severe features, a sharp chin and a smirking mouth. His eyes were a medium brown, alert and wary looking.

The boy's skin was pale and fine, revealing the tracery of veins in some places. Tal chanced a glance at Kina, grimacing as he caught her rapt expression, her eyes locked on the newcomer.

Tal immediately disliked him.

"Hi," the boy said with a small, confident smile. "I'm Kael Solarsal."

"Tal Lightsworn," he replied, frowning. "What do you…?"

"Akinas Brightstream. Kina, for short." She smiled, suddenly bashful.

"I know," Kael replied, averting his eyes. "I was there last night when you sang everyone to sleep. You've got a wonderful voice, you know."

She blushed. "Ah… Thank you. I've been singing for a while, and it was nothing tough or anything…"

"No, really. You sounded great, and you handled everyone really well. I'm kinda in awe. We'd been trying to get the kids to sleep for weeks, you know."

"Who's we? I never saw you in there with everyone else," Tal snapped, setting his glass down with a large clank.

Kael sent him a calm, if cold, look. "You've been working in that one room, yes? I've been in several others. I hadn't slept in a week, I spent so much time running between bedrooms."

"Yeah, well, neither had I," Tal muttered, petulant. He crossed his arms and shot a quick look at Kina. She raised an eyebrow at him, obviously perturbed with his behavior. Tal felt his cheeks flush and looked away, cowed.

"Hmm," Kael continued, sounding satisfied with himself. "Well, Kina, I guess I'll see you around."

"No, wait! I just finished up, I'll come with you," she said, standing and lifting her tray, nearly sending it spilling onto the table. She blushed.

Kael laughed, a light, gentle sound. "Okay, sure. I was going to check up on the youngest kids down in the nursery level. Want to tag along?"

She nodded, silent, and walked along next to him as he left.

"Uh, was it something I did?"

Tal looked up over his right shoulder, startled. Kestrel stood next to him, holding her tray with a bemused expression on her face. He shrugged. "Kina just got sidetracked by some smarmy jerk," he explained, taking a sip of his OJ.

She raised an eyebrow and sat, grabbing his OJ and taking a sip, despite his dark look. "You sound pretty angry," she observed, focusing on her own food.

"Who, me? Not at all. Why should I be mad that some weirdo comes in and takes away a friend who's been _aware_ for less than a day? I mean, really?" he snapped, shoving away from the table and stalking off to the trashcan. He threw the remains of his breakfast in with a bang and hurried out of the room.

Kestrel watched him go, a strange, hurt look flashing across her face. She sighed, turned to her cereal, and stirred it, staring at nothing in particular. After a long moment, she rubbed her eyes, put on a bright smile, and launched into her meal with gusto.

* * *

"So, where're you from?" Kina asked, looking over at Kael. He was reclining, spread out on the bench they shared in Hero Square. They sat under a few trees, shaded from the oddly intense light of the sun by the auburn and orange leaves.

He cracked an eye open and glanced up at her. "Originally, from Downtown. Now. I'm staying here in the Treehouse until something else pops up." He sat up, leaning forward. "What about you?"

"Just northeast of here, actually. Lived there all my life."

"That's cool. And you were a camp counselor? How'd you get that gig?"

She chuckled. "Nothing special. I went to camp in Prickly Pines when I was a kid and wound up working there when I got older, that's all. You go to any camps?"

"Never had the pleasure," he responded, a hint of acid in his voice. "But hey," he continued, smiling. "That's nothing. You got to see the future, right? I heard it was… bad."

"Understatement of the century. It was…terrible." She shivered and looked at the Monument, which only displayed the hologram of Buttercup and a much shorter list of names. "There were so many gone. Fuse's minions were everywhere. People went missing all the time. It was… Well, it was heck, to put it as lightly as possible."

Kael, who had closed his eyes to listen, opened them and glanced at his companion. She had curled up, pulling her knees up to her chin, and was staring into the middle distance. Something within him shifted and he put an arm around her shoulders.

"You know, I was jealous, when I heard that you all got to see the future. But…" He trailed off, losing his momentum for a moment. "But what you've said… It does sound…heckish."

She bit back a little snort of laughter. He smiled and rubbed her shoulder as she leaned into him. "It was," she responded when she'd recovered. "But the invasion can't have been a walk in the park, either."

He went silent and still. "It… It was thrilling. I know," he said, catching her surprised glance. "It was awful and terrifying, but… It was thrilling. Adventure. Fighting. Everything…"

"I suppose," Kina whispered. She closed her eyes. "I guess you didn't see anyone die. Didn't lose anyone you cared for."

"No, I was one of the lucky ones." He paused, eyes widening. "Oh, crud. Jees. I'm sorry, I forgot that…"

"No, it's okay. I'm not the only one who lost someone, and it's not like this whole thing isn't a little… thrilling."

They sat in silence for a minute, watching the younger kids run by. They were a motley crew, dressed in scavenged armor that hardly ever matched, toting oversized guns and followed by their various complaining nanos.

"What were they like?" Kael asked finally, sitting back and giving her an inquisitive look.

Kina paused, thinking. She unfolded one leg, resting her chin on the other and wrapping her arms around it. "They were…normal, you know? My mom was a good cook, good at cleaning, good at everything, really. She listened when you talked to her and always had good advice. You know, kind of the ideal mom. And my dad… He taught me how to fish and hike and kayak… We always went camping, looked up at the stars, everything. All of us."

She stopped, reaching under her collar and pulling up a locket. She let it dangle. His eyes locked on it, taking in the battered, blackened, dented oval.

"My sister was good, too. She could be a brat, sure, but that's what little sisters are for, right? Plus her age gave me a reason to keep acting like a kid. I don't think I could have asked for a better sis than Ellen, though."

Kael's face softened. He looked away, sighing. "Sounds like a good life."

"It was. What about yours, huh?" Kina peeked around his shoulder, managing to look straight into his eyes. "What're they like?"

His eyes narrowed slightly, their brown color deepening with a reddish hue. "They're nothing special. In fact, it's better to just…not think about them."

Kina raised a questioning brow, but said nothing. "Okay, then. If you don't want to, you don't have to."

He sighed and turned, giving her a grateful smile. "Thanks," he whispered.

She smiled back, slid her hand into his, and leaned her head against his shoulder. "No prob," she said, voice small.

The autumn leaves rustled in the breeze and slowly, gently, began to fall.

* * *

A/N: And so ends the Homecoming Arc! I'm going to continue with the "Chapter a Day" thing for a while, so keep your eyes peeled. Until tomorrow!


	23. Interlude 6

Disclaimer: I don't own FusionFall.

* * *

_Early October_

Kes leaned back in her chair, hands behind her head, eyes closed. It had been a long week, what with Kina waking up, Tal freaking out, and the general air of doom coming from Fuse's forces. A long, hard week.

She cracked one eye open and glanced down at her desk. She'd been lucky enough to get one of the single rooms, mostly due to her status as a free agent. Even so, the room was barely big enough for her cot and a small pile of clothing. It was enough, though, and more than most kids were getting.

She sighed and leaned forward, hitting her elbow. Wincing, she stood and walked to the pile. It was about time for guard duty, meaning it was time to put on her armor. She grinned at the thought. None of those strange-looking things for her. She pulled on her combat pants, slipped into a t-shirt, and grabbed the pads that constituted her only defense. The fastened around her lower arms, her biceps, elbows, knees, and upper and lower legs, and a pair perched on her shoulders.

She pulled her shock-white hair into a low side ponytail. As an afterthought, she jammed a beanie down over her ears. Finally, she grabbed her Nanocom and slapped it onto her wrist, pressing the button to turn it back on.

As she waited, her gaze fell to the one thing that made the room her own. A photograph, tacked hastily to the wooden wall, showing five laughing kids. One boy, arms crossed, had his head thrown back. The Kestrel in the picture, probably from when she was ten years old, had fallen to the ground and was leaning back against his legs, a grin and tears spread across her face.

In the present, her eyes narrowed, an odd expression setting itself on her features. She glanced down at the Nanocom, wondering...

"Nanocom. Can you find a way to get in contact with someone? I don't know if they have a com, but..."

"_What is the name?_"

"Glen Rogers. Last I knew, he lived in Vermont." Kestrel looked back at the photo, a small smile spreading across her lips.

"_Searching... Connecting... Connected. Please wait._" The watch made a ringing sound, and then...

"Hello? Who's this?"

Kestrel grinned. "Glen? It's Kes. Good to hear you're okay."

"It's who?" Glen asked, sounding confused.

Kes inhaled sharply, right hand tightening into a fist. Of course. Glen was older than her by a month, so he would have been wiped long before. Of course.

"Ah, never mind. I must..."

"Wait, Kes? As in, Kestrel Darkflame? Wow, long time, no see! Can you believe the crazy stuff going on right now?"

"Uh... No, no, it's insane, I know." She smiled faintly, blinking away tears. "Sorry it took an alien invasion for me to give you a call."

"No worries. So, how are things with you? Where'd you move again? I can never seem to remember..."

"Oh, this place the kids all call Sector V. It's kinda the center of the invasion thingy, so we're all fighting," she explained, sitting down on her cot.

"Oh, wow, really? That's some crazy stuff. There's green things everywhere up here and it looks like all of the Kids Next Dorks are on high alert. They've been trying to get everyone to help them out, but it's like, really? You want me to work with you dweebs?"

"You should," Kes burst out. After a moment, she clapped a hand over her mouth. Idiot...

"You think so?" He fell into silence for a long moment. "Yeah, I guess I could. I could get all the guys back together. It could be fun, y'know? Like a live-action video game."

"Just like it," Kestrel said, closing her eyes. "Just gotta be more careful."

"'Course. Well, I've gotta go. Good to hear from you, though. See ya!" With that, he hung up.

Kes stayed seated on her bed, staring at the floor. Of course. Of course, he wasn't the same Glen. It was why she'd always disagreed with the Kids Next Door policy of wiping the memories of anyone over 13. But at least he was okay, and it sounded like he'd go fight. At least.

She sighed, stood, put a smile on her face, and walked out the door.

* * *

Kes hadn't made it far down the hall when she ran into Tal, dressed in his dishwashing outfit. She grinned. "How was work?" she asked, eyeing the stains on his white apron.

He grimaced. "Don't ask. Really."

"Already did, but forget it," she responded, falling into step beside him. He glanced at her armor and smiled.

"KND standards are a little different than adventuring, aren't they?" Tal quipped as they entered the main hall.

She rolled her eyes. "These random pads won't make much of a difference. It's more to look like we know what we're doing."

"I see," he began, but trailed off as he spotted Kina walking with Kael across the room.

She followed his dark gaze and sighed. "Why don't you like him?" _Other than the obvious reason_, she added silently.

He shook his head. "I dunno," he muttered, clenching his fist. "He just rubs me the wrong way.

"Really? I kinda like him." _And not just because he's making it hard for you to chase after Kina_.

"Whatever," he growled, taking off his apron and balling it up in one hand. "Hurry up, you're going to be late for duty."

Kes's eyes widened. "Oh crud, I am!" she cried before taking off.

Tal watched her go and shook his head.


	24. Transient 1

Disclaimer: I do not own FusionFall.

* * *

Transient: Ephemeral, not long lasting. Examples of transience include cherry blossoms, autumn leaves, snow, and life itself.

* * *

_Two Weeks Later..._

Kina stood at the edge of the Treehouse's island, staring down at the ground far below. As she watched, the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. in Hero Square took flight, making a huge, arching turn towards the Cul-de-Sac. She raised her hand as it passed, aware of the fact that Kestrel was seated somewhere onboard.

She sighed and wrapped her arms around her chest, shivering a little. At some point, the weather had decided to turn colder, leaving many of the shopkeepers out of their warmer products. Kina had loaned her sweatshirt to Kes for the time being, until the girl could find a warmer set of her own.

She heard someone come up behind her and turned, raising her eyebrow. Tal stood at her side, smiling and holding out a light brown fleece.

"You looked cold," he explained, holding it out to her. She accepted it and pulled it on, glad for the added warmth.

"Thanks," she said, smiling. Tal blushed faintly and looked away, watching the shape of the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. disappear into the distance.

"Have you decided on a Guide yet?" he asked, breaking his own silence.

Kina bit her lip and stared down at the ground. "Not...as such," she answered, hesitating. "I've decided that I'll choose when I leave."

"And when are you leaving?"

"I haven't figured that out yet." She blinked and looked at him with large eyes. "I just... I can't face what the world has become right now. Somehow, it was alright in the future, because we knew we were going to change it, but this..."

"It's okay. You can do a lot of good here, too. Volunteering in the rooms at night, working in the cafeteria, guard duty..."

"And yet you're still leaving," she responded, tugging the fleece tighter around herself as the wind picked up, sending a few leaves from far below swirling into the air.

Tal sighed. "Dex wants me to keep an eye on things in Genius Grove. He doesn't trust Mandark very much, and Dee Dee is there, so..." He trailed off, a kernel of guilt growing in his chest. "If you want, I wait a while, head out later...?"

"No, that's okay. Dexter is your friend and your Guide. You've got an obligation to him that you should follow through on." She smiled. "Besides, I can tell you hate working dish room."

Tal shuddered. "Nasty. It's just nasty."

"At least you're not cleaning tables. I hear that's the worst."

He grinned. "Yeah, you got off lucky with the bedtime shift. Kes, too, with her guard duty."

"You call me lucky? I haven't had more than twelve hours of sleep total in the last week!" Kina threw up her hands in mock exasperation. "And I keep losing my voice during the day from singing at night," she added, rubbing her throat.

"But you still sound pretty good," Tal assured her.

She shook her head with a small smile before cocking her head to the side. "Hey, aren't you cold?" she asked, reaching out to touch his bare arm.

He stiffened slightly and shook his head. She raised an eyebrow and looked at his arm, where goosebumps stood out impressively against his tanned skin.

"Okay, maybe a little," he conceded, rubbing the back of his head. "Wanna go in and get some hot cocoa? I've got a couple of hours before the Monkey Skyway Agent is ready to go.

She grinned. "Sure."

* * *

Kestrel stepped off of the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., blinking in the sunlight. She smiled when she saw how whole the Cul-de-sac looked compared to the one in the future.

"Ah, Miss Darkflame, you've arrived. So glad you could come." She looked up, staring at the figure that now approached her and taking in his yellow and orange shirt, purple shorts, and red socks. And, of course, the ever-present hat on his head. She lifted a hand to adjust her own beanie, smiling.

"Yo, Sockhead. What's with the 'Miss' thing? You say that to every girl?" she asked, eyes bright.

The boy smiled back. "As a matter of fact, I do. However, I can call you something else if you like."

"Kes. Or Kestrel. Doesn't really matter."

"And would you mind addressing me as Double D instead of Sockhead? That's really something my compatriots here in the Cul-de-Sac do, rather than my...guidees."

"No prob. So what's this I hear about a mission?"

Edd smiled. "Down to business, I see. Kina was right in recommending that I accept you! Have you heard of Brain-Drain Candy?"

"Ah, nope, not tha' I can think of..."

"It's not very widely known. It is, however, extremely dangerous. Eating it can cause one to go insane," he explained, crossing his arms. "You can see how it might be...disastrous...if Fuse got his hands on it."

"So this crazy candy exists? And you know where it is?"

A gleam entered Edd's eyes as he grinned. "Not as of yet, but, with your help, I will soon."

* * *

"So Tal's headed out?" Kael asked, staring down at Kina with hawk-like intensity.

She blinked and glanced up from her meal. "Yeah, an hour or so ago. Why?"

"Just wondering," he said with a smile, sitting beside her. "How are you doing?"

"Fine, thanks. Just getting ready for another long night..." She stared at the cup in her hand, filled to the brim with Super-Caffeiney Soft Drink, the only beverage in the cafeteria with a high concentration of caffeine.

"You can take on a different job, you know. The kids are getting better at sleeping on their own." Kael leaned on one arm, sighing. "I'm giving up on it. Can't quite hack staying up that long..."

She blinked and looked down at her drink. "I know I could, but... I feel bad for not being able to fight and I pretty much fail at cooking. This is the only thing I can do right now."

"I thought you could fight," he said, raising one eyebrow. "I mean, you tore the heck out of the monsters in the future, and the ones around your house."

She closed her eyes for a moment and shuddered. "I know. Trust me, I know I _can_ fight, because I have. But for some reason, right now, I _can't_, and I don't know..." She paused and shook her head. "No, I _do_ know. It's the same reason most older kids won't fight. All of this is so overwhelming..." Tears began to leak out from behind her tightly closed eyelids.

Kael watched her in silence, unsure of what to do. Part of him felt uncomfortable, wanting to leave her alone to work it out, but another part, one that was starting to speak with a louder, more insistent voice, urged for him to act. To comfort her.

He took her hand. She turned and opened her eyes, staring at him. He smiled.

"It's okay," he said, not knowing where the words were coming from. "It'll be alright. You're doing a lot to help them. I think..." He paused as the words abandoned him and frantically reached for what came next. After a moment, he sighed, shook his head, and stared straight into her eyes. "I think you're like hope to people. Like...like...you've taken such a hard hit, and you're older, so you're like a big sister, but you still fought before and you're taking care of everyone and..."

Kina blinked, an odd expression on her face. He stopped, watching her, worried. Had he said something very wrong? "I..."

She bit her lip, shoulders beginning to shake, and suddenly burst into laughter.

He stared at her, taken aback. Laughter?

After a minute, she calmed down and wiped her eyes. She grinned at him. "Thanks for that, Kael," she murmured, planting a light kiss on his cheek. "I needed it."

With that, she left the cafeteria. Kael sat on his chair for a few more minutes, eyes wide, a look of surprise etched across his features. Slowly, he raised one hand to touch the spot on his cheek that she'd kissed, a stricken expression entering his eyes.


	25. Transient 2

Disclaimer: I do not own FusionFall.

* * *

_Late October_

"According to Sticky Beard, the candy was last seen just north of Genius Grove," Kes reported, standing in front of Double D in the Cul-de-Sac. She saluted as she spoke, then, once she'd finished, wiped a little of the fusion matter on her shirt off. "Stupid Candy Buccaneers," she muttered.

"Good job, Kestrel. Um, do you need to take a shower or see a medic for anything?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her fusion matter-splattered gear. She now wore cargo pants, which usually would be black but were currently an odd shade of green, a black long-sleeved shirt, and a white vest, which was also stained green.

"Ah, no, not really. Thanks, though," she answered. "I'll just trade this out for something later. What do you want me to do now?"

"Would you mind terribly checking out Sticky Beard's information?" he asked.

"'course I don't mind," she responded, snapping off another salute. "I'll head out now."

"Oh, wait one moment." Edd turned and hurried over to Eddy, spoke with the boy for a moment, and returned. "Eddy recently received a hoverboard from a member of the Kids Next Door. He, of course, tried to use it and wound up on the ground..." He smiled faintly at the thought before continuing. "I thought you might like to use it."

"Would I ever!" she cried. "When can I get it?"

"Tomorrow."

"What?! Seriously?"

"Yes. Eddy said that he wants to try it one more time before he hands it off."

Kestrel sighed and scratched her head under her beanie. When she looked at her hand, she saw even more fusion matter on it. After a moment, she blinked and shrugged. "Well, since there's nothing better to do, I guess I could wash up."

"Do. Please," Edd said, a faint frown on his face. "Before your clothing melts through."

"It can do that? Oh, that's not a good thing..."

* * *

Kes leaned forward, coaxing a little more speed out of her hoverboard. She grinned, enjoying the feeling of the wind on her face, and swooped around the final corner before the trail up into the hills.

Spotting someone in her way, she slammed her right foot down and grabbed the nose of her board as it came up, screeching to a halt less than a foot behind the figure.

He turned and faced her, eyes wide. "Kes?"

"Tal?"

"What're you doing here?" he asked, eyeing the hoverboard she balanced on.

She grinned. "Like it? Double D gave it to me for all my work."

"That doesn't answer the question."

Kes sighed and put her hands behind her head, leaning back and sending the board into a lazy circle around Tal. "I heard that the crazy candy or whatever is up here, so Edd sent me to check on it. What about you, huh? What're you doin' here?"

"Dee Dee said she saw some Tech Tunnelers moving in from the north and Dex wanted me to check it out," he answered, following her movement.

"Well. Ain't that a co-ink-i-dink," she quipped, hopping off the board and scanning it into her Nanocom. "Since we're both here, wanna work together on this one?"

"Sure. But don't do anything stupid."

Kestrel stopped, a hurt, angry look flashing across her face. "Look, I might do dumb things sometimes, but I'm not stupid," she snapped, hand falling to the pistol at her side.

Tal walked towards the trail, back to her. "I didn't say you were stupid. I said don't do anything stupid," he explained without a hint of remorse.

Kestrel clenched her teeth but fell silent and walked behind him up the dirt path. They said nothing at all the entire way, until the very top.

Tal turned and gave her a guilty look. "Kes, I'm sorry," he said, not meeting her gaze. "I really didn't mean what I said, so..."

"Shh," she hissed, grabbing his hand and pulling him down behind a rock. Her expression was stony, eyes darting about the scene before her. Inwardly, she was ecstatic about Tal's apology, but it wasn't the time for that.

"What's up?" Tal whispered, grabbing Luz's hilt and peering over the top of the rock. His eyes went wide.

"It's an army of monsters," Kes murmured, eyes sweeping over the field before them.

Tal shook his head. "It's not that many," he muttered, taking a quick count. "Maybe seventy-five, tops, and nothing that hits harder than Mad Mower at that."

"Still. It's a lot of monsters in one place."

"You got that right," he answered, bringing up the menu on his Nanocom. "I'm calling Dex. You call Edd. I think we've got a situation on our hands."

* * *

They waited and watched the monsters for almost an hour before receiving a response. Dexter appeared on their Nanocoms, a bleak expression on his face.

"Return to the Treehouse," he commanded. "Edd and Ben will both meet you there. They will handle this. Do not engage the enemy."

"But..." Kes began.

"No fighting. Dexter, out!" he said, disappearing.

Tal and Kestrel exchanged a glance. "Guess we'd better do as he says," Tal muttered, grabbing Kes's hand before she could draw her pistol.

"I'm sure we could...!"

"Kestrel."

"What?" she snapped, turning to meet his intense gaze.

"Remember what I said about doing stupid things?"

She narrowed her eyes, but relaxed her grip on her gun. "Don't do them," she growled, sounding like a petulant child.

"Exactly," Tal said with a nod. "Now come on. Let's get back to the Treehouse."

* * *

A/N: Co-ink-i-dink is just Kes having fun with the word coincidence, for the record. Hope you enjoyed!


	26. Transient 3

A/N: Triple update today. I feel bad about forgetting yesterday... So, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own FusionFall.

* * *

Kina climbed up through the brilliant orange leaves of the tree the Treehouse sat in, up in the higher branches. She paused, leaning against the trunk and looking down at the town around her.

"What are you doing up here?"

The suddenness of the voice nearly made her fall. She caught herself with a little cry and, after a moment, looked up. Kael was perched on the branch above her, regarding her with a look of amusement. As she watched, it faded into sadness.

"Just coming up for some peace and quiet. What about you?" she asked, clambering up beside him.

He sighed and stared out at the horizon. "Same thing," he murmured.

"What's wrong?"

He shot her a quick look before returning his gaze to the distance. "Nothing's wrong," he said, a defensive edge in his voice. "I'm just...thinking"

"About what?"

He closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. She watched the motion, noting the faint sheen of sweat on his face, the way his hand trembled. "About nothing," he said again, but his voice shook.

"Kael, what's wrong? Don't say nothing again, I can tell that that's not the truth."

He dropping his head into his hands. "There's something I have to do," he said, words muffled. "Something I have to do that I really don't want to anymore."

"What is it?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Oh, don't give me that crud," Kina muttered, sweeping her gaze out over the suburbs.

"No, I really can't," he murmured. "It's a top-secret mission. Not even you can know."

She blinked and glanced back at him. A cold breeze blew through the leaves, making them shake and rustle around them. After a moment, she looked away.

"Okay," she said quietly, taking a breath. "What do you need from me?"

"What?"

"What do you need? Help? Advice?" She met his questioning gaze and smiled. "Kael, even if you can't tell me what it is, I'll support you. I trust you," she continued, taking his hand. "No matter what."

His eyes narrowed as he looked away, frowning. After a moment, he took his hand from hers and put it in his lap. "Honestly, I don't think there's anything you can do," he whispered. His eyes stayed locked on the horizon.

Kina blinked and put her hand on his shoulder. "Okay then. But if you need me, I'm here," she said, squeezing his shoulder.

He glanced back at her, the faintest hint of a smile making war with the sad look on his face. "Thank you," he murmured, tilted his head back, and stared at the bright autumn sky.

* * *

A/N: Remember the definition of transient? Guess what. The Transient arc is over. Ha. Anyway, reviews are much appreciated, but I do hope you're enjoying the story! Until tomorrow!


	27. Responsibility 1

A/N: This is where the fun begins... I've changed the rating to T for mild violence, some language, dangerous situations, and some more adult themes. War is Hell. Get ready.

Disclaimer: I do not own FusionFall.

_

* * *

Early November_

"Move aside! Get out of the way!" an operative yelled, tearing through the lower reaches of the Treehouse.

Kina stopped and plastered herself against the wall as a group of doctors followed, rushing a gurney through the narrow passage. She snuck a look and bit her lip. It was bad. Very bad. The kid's skin was burned and covered in pustules, each an unhealthy shade of greenish white. She waited for more to come through, but when none did, she let herself relax and continued on her way to the main hall.

"The heck was that about?" asked Kael, falling into step beside her.

She shrugged. "A kid got hurt. Pretty bad, from what I could see. You know anything?"

"Not a clue," he returned, looking away. Kina raised an eyebrow, but quickly forgot as they reached the hall.

An agent stopped them. "No entry," he explained, cradling his T.H.U.M.P.E.R.

"Why?" Kael started forward, but Kina put a hand out.

"Is it bad?" she asked, voice low.

The agent nodded and squinted at her. "Wait a sec. Are you Brightstream? The old kid?"

Swallowing her response to the last part, Kina nodded.

He took a deep breath. "They've requested that I let you through. No one else, though," he added, looking pointedly at Kael.

For his part, Kael only crossed his arms.

"I guess I'll see you later," Kina apologized, and walked into the room.

Chaos. Agents and operatives running everywhere. Doctors, flying from one side of the room to the other. Urban Rangers attempting to keep order. Random kids being ushered out.

In the center of the storm stood Edd and Ben. The younger boy looked up and spotted Kina, waving her over.

It was then that she looked down and saw them. The bodybags, arranged in front of the entrance like some macabre sculpture. Her insides froze, her heart dropping into her stomach. With effort, she managed to walk over to the two waiting boys, shaking a little with each step.

"What happened?" she breathed as she reached them. They exchanged a glance and Ben sighed.

"A mission gone bad. Very bad," he said, voice cracking.

"They were sent to take down a group of monsters preparing to attack Pokey Oaks. Forty of them," Edd explained, voice husky with spent tears. "We thought that'd be enough but… The monsters were stronger and more organized than we expected. Fusion Numbuh Five…" His voice broke and he looked away to hide the fresh bout of tears.

"Fusion Numbuh Five attacked and took everyone by surprise. It was a massacre," Ben finished, staring at his feet. "Two survivors, one of whom is in critical condition and probably won't make it. The other…" He gestured behind him and moved aside.

The boy sat on the floor, knees pulled up to his chin. He was splattered with fusion matter and blood, eyes wide and frantic, hair tangled, clothing torn. He rocked on the spot, a low, keening moan rising from his throat.

"He's been like that since the fight ended," Edd whispered, staring down at him with wet eyes. "No one has had success in communicating with him."

Unbidden, Kina knelt down in front of the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder. He didn't react.

"What's his name?" she asked, looking back at Ben.

"Devon Greymane," he answered. A short, wry smile flashed across his lips. "There's a reason we have everyone wear dog tags." Grave humor.

She looked back at the boy and gazed straight into his eyes. "Devon," she said, taking a firmer grasp on his shoulder. "Devon."

The boy let out another low moan and squeezed his eyes shut.

Kina blinked back tears and sighed. "Is there a more private place we can get him to?" she asked, still watching him.

"Yeah. We can do that," Ben said, turning away to find a better room.

* * *

After requisitioning a small room, they ran into trouble getting Devon to move. It took nearly half an hour of cajoling and supporting, but they managed to get him into the room and sitting on the bed, back resting against the wall. He pulled his legs up again and resumed rocking, eyes wide open.

Kina pulled up a stool and sat in front of him, meeting his empty gaze with a tender one. "Devon," she whispered, putting her hand on his shoulder again. "Devon. Come on. Look at me."

"Isn't he…?" Ben started, but Edd shushed him and shook his head.

"She knows what she's doing."

Kina blinked and put her other hand on his other shoulder, making sure she kept eye contact. "Devon, come on. I know you've been through heck. I know you've seen things no one should ever have to, but you've got to come back. Please, Devon. Just… look at me."

For a brief second, his eyes slid into focus and he blinked. Just as quickly, he moaned and shut them tight.

Kina looked down and sighed again. She blinked away tears and moved her right hand up into Devon's hair. She stroked his head gently, took her left hand and touched his cheek. "Oh, Devon. You can't just shut down. Come back, out of your head," she whispered, looking back up. She moved her left hand to his chin and brought it up until his closed eyes were equal with her own. "You know, I lost everything, back then. My parents. My sister. My self, for a while. I didn't see it, so it can't quite compare with your experience, but you have to let us try. You have to let us in, Devon. You have to open your eyes."

"No…" he moaned, curling in tighter. "Don't want to see…"

Tears flowed freely down Kina's face as she shifted, sitting next to Devon on the bed. She cradled him, encircling his small body with her arms, and leaned her head against his.

A broken sob escaped him and he broke down in tears. In an instant, he returned Kina's embrace, holding onto her like a drowning man to a lifeline.

"Shh, it's okay. It's okay, Devon. I've got you," she murmured, rocking him back and forth. "You're okay. You're okay." She turned and looked at the silent boys, eyes lidded. "What more do you know about him?" she asked.

"He's one of the ones who's been here since the invasion. Not a traveler," Ben said, voice soft.

"He was out of the house. Lost his mother, his father had already left." Edd looked away. "His younger brother was on the mission, too. He's the one in surgery right now… Alexander."

"I see," she whispered, and closed her eyes. She hummed, the sound low and soft. Slowly, a tune emerged, and she began to sing.

"_How can I repay you brother mine? How can I expect you to forgive? Clinging to the past I shed our blood, and shattered your will to live._

_ "Though I knew the laws I paid no heed. How can I return your wasted breath? What I did not know has cost you dear, for there is no cure for death._

_ "Beautiful mother, soft and sweet, once you were gone we were not complete. Back through the years we reached for you. Alas, twas not meant to be! And how can I make amends for all that I took from you? I lead you on with hopeless dreams. My brother, I was a fool._

_ "Don't cry for the past now, brother mine. Neither you nor I are free from blame. Nothing can erase the things we did, for the path we took was the same._

_ "Beautiful mother, soft and sweet, once you were gone, we were not complete. Back through the years we reached for you. Alas, twas not meant to be! My dreams made me blind and mute, I longed to return to that time. I followed without a word. My brother, the fault is mine._

_ "So where do we go from here? And how to forget and forgive? What's gone is forever lost. Now all we can do is live._"

She resumed humming, stroking the boy's hair, still rocking back and forth. Slowly, his sobs subsided. He released his grip on her shirt and leaned into her, breathing evening into gentle sleep. Once certain he was asleep, Kina slid out from his embrace and set him down on the bed.

A look at the boys told them it was time to go. They crept out the door. Kina paused to turn on a night light and flick the overhead light off, left, and closed the door behind her. She let out a heavy sigh and leaned back against the wall. "He should sleep for a while, with all he's been through," she said, voice low and dry with tears and use.

"Where did you learn all these songs?" Ben asked with a hint of awe.

She gave him a faint smile. "Camp. Television. Random bands. That was from a show I used to watch. I figured it would fit, and it was soft enough to put him to sleep. With any luck, it helped."

"Thank you for doing that, Kina," Edd said, looking down. "Nothing I tried worked, and you…"

"Don't forget, Double D, you're the one who brought me back. I just have more experience with kids." She closed her eyes and tilted her head back. "Dang."

"What?"

"Nothing. Just… Dang. About everything. How did that mission go so wrong?" she asked, cracking an eye open. "I mean, yeah, the enemy was stronger than anticipated, but…"

Ben crossed his arms. "Fusion Numbuh Five is just as brilliant as our Numbuh Five. She's just more ruthless. Much more."

"From what we can tell, she had her weakest minions attack first, sent in a wave of stronger ones, and then… she came in herself." Edd closed his eyes and shook his head. "It appears that… she is very good at causing mass destruction. Very, very adept at it, in fact."

"Until she arrived on the scene, our troops were holding out. Bad injuries, but no… casualties." Ben gazed at Kina, eyes holding a challenge.

"She did that single handedly? Took down 38 of our guys?" She sounded incredulous. She spread her fingers and pressed them into the wall, muscles taught.

"Yes. The Greymanes only escaped because they were on the other side of the battle."

Kina shook her head. "At least tell me we got her."

Ben gave her a grim grin. "Yeah, we got the bi-"

"Ben!"

"-mposter. The imposter. The dirty, disgusting… Yes. She's out, for now," he finished, leaning back against the other wall. He crossed his legs and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Who knows how long it'll last, though. Fuse creates 'em almost as fast as we destroy them."

Edd cleared his throat. "Yes, that is quite problematic for us. Their respawn rate is almost astronomical. It seems as though Fuse is in contact with every one of his minions all the time. Fascinating, really."

"If it wasn't being used for evil, you mean," Ben interjected.

Edd blushed. "Yes, of course."

It was then that an operative ran up to them, panting heavily. Edd crossed his arms and tried not to look too eager while the other two straightened and stepped away from their walls.

The young girl caught her breath and looked up at them. Kina drew in a sharp breath and turned away.

"I'm sorry. Alex Greymane didn't make it," the girl whispered, her tone hinting at tears. Edd's heart dropped. He didn't try to hide his own blossoming tears.

There was a thud as Ben punched the wall, leaving a dent. His face was livid, though tears of his own were shining on his cheeks. Kina wiped away hers and put a hand on his shoulder.

Edd turned and thanked the girl before sending her on her way. He brought his arms up to his chest and clutched at his elbows, as though he was trying to hold himself together. "Lord," he whispered.

Kina glanced up at him and beckoned him over. He came, and she put her arm around his shoulders. She sighed and shook her head. "You probably shouldn't tell Devon until he asks about it. When he does, send him to me. If I'm here, that is."

"Whatever do you mean?" Double D asked, staring at her in shock. "You're always here."

Satisfied that he was okay, she removed her arm and turned to Ben. "If it's alright with you, I'm requesting to be put back on active duty, effective immediately."

Ben stared at her for a moment. "We need you here," he said.

"You also need me out there. I won't go do anything stupid or pointless, just enough to… To actually do something. These kids are out there, fighting, getting hurt, dying, and I'm here just singing to them?"

"Morale. You remind them of why they fight. You give them hope," Edd answered.

She shook her head. "That's not enough. I have to do something. Heck, I'll just do random missions for you Guides, if you want. I just… I have to do something."

"Fine. Request granted, or whatever, so long as I'm your Guide," Ben said, giving her a wry grin.

She raised an eyebrow and glanced at Edd. "Why do I have a bad feeling?"

"You shouldn't," Ben interjected before Double D could respond. "Come on. I've got a mission for you."

* * *

A/N: The song is _Bratja (Brothers)_, from the anime Fullmetal Alchemist. The English lyrics were apparently translated and made 'songable' by someone known as Tobu Ishi. Vic Mignongna was given said lyrics and sang them. It's a good song and it's up on youtube if you want to check it out.

From here on out, we go further into the darkness. Hold on tight.


	28. Responsibility 2

Disclaimer: FusionFall is not mine.

* * *

Kina leaned forward, enjoying the way the hoverbike responded to her every movement. It sped up as she floated along the nearly empty roads, kicking up the thick carpet of fallen leaves behind her. A special modification to it had given it a similar effect to a stealth nano, just enough to get her from the Treehouse to DexLabs, where Dexter had holed himself away.

She let out a short breath as she thought of her mission. It wasn't exactly what she'd been expecting, that was for sure.

_"I need you to go talk to Dexter," Ben said, crossing his arms._

_ "What?"_

_ "He's locked himself away in his lab and won't let anyone in, not even me. He's not even talking to Tal or really interacting with Computress, which has me worried. She's at least able to make him eat, drink, and occasionally sleep." Ben stopped and faced Kina with a concerned look. "It started a couple months ago. He started spending more time in the lab until I never saw him at all. Before that, he seemed… I don't know. Like he felt guilty about something."_

_ "And you think I can do what?" she asked, crossing her own arms. "I was friends with him, sure, in the future. He won't remember that. It was the _future_."_

_ "But it shows that you can get through to him. And you've proven again and again that you're good at helping people. This could be the most important mission I give you."_

_ She thought about it. "Just talk to him? Anything in particular we should talk about?"_

_ Ben smiled. "I wouldn't mind knowing what he's working on. Or what's really bothering him, for that matter. But it doesn't matter as much as just talking to him. Remind him that there's a world outside his lab, and that he's not allergic to sunlight."_

_ "I suppose I can do that," she conceded, sighing._

_ Ben broke into a grin. "Good. I'll lend you a hoverbike. They're pretty sweet."_

He was right. They were sweet. All too soon, she arrived at DexLabs and had to get off, scanning the bike back into her Nanocom.

She walked up to the doors and stared up at them. Last time she'd been here, she'd been rocketed into the future. Hopefully, nothing that catastrophic would happen this time.

"_Miss Brightstream. May I ask what you're doing here?_" Kina jumped as Computress's voice issued from her com.

She smiled and brought it to her lips. "I'm here on a mission from Ben. I've got to talk to Dexter."

There was a moment of silence on the other end. "_Oh, good,_" Computress said. "_I've been so very worried. I'll let you in_."

The doors slid open as her Nanocom silenced. She waved at the invisible security camera and stepped inside. Now, where was the actual lab?

An hour of wandering found her outside yet another door. This one had the infinity symbol/mobius strip design on it that was DexLabs trademarked, but no identifying text above it. She waited.

The door opened, and she stepped in.

"Wh- What? Get out of my laboratory!" came a voice, tinged with a Russian accent. Kina spared a moment to wonder where the accent came from before turning to see the boy.

Dexter stood at about her height, which would have been comforting is he hadn't been five years younger than her. He was wearing his labcoat and gloves, of course, with his glasses perched on his nose. His hair was bright red, though it had grown a bit long and disheveled.

"Uh, hi," she said, raising a hand. "Remember me?"

He paused and gave her a closer look. "No. I do not. Should I?" he snapped, turning back to his work.

"I'm Akinas Brightstream. Kina. Ellen's sister. I took her place in the time travel experiment."

He stopped again, though he continued looking at the table in front of him. "Ah, yes," he said, voice much less sharp than before. "The oldest traveler. I remember." He sighed and started to clean up his work.

"Oh, don't mind me. I just want to talk. Chit chat a bit. If you don't mind, that is. You can keep working on… What're you working on?"

"Changing the way my teleporters work," he answered grudgingly. He turned to look at her, blue eyes dull. "Just stay out of my way."

"Can do." She saluted and found herself a stool to sit on. "Gotta say, I thought you'd chase me out of here."

"I don't have the time," he returned, voice clipped. He fit two pieces together and set them aside, reaching for a wielding torch.

"Here." She was at his side, handing it to him. He accepted it and started attaching the pieces, sparks flying. "So, why don't you have Computress helping?"

"I do not need help." He reached for a wrench. She put it in his hand and received a dark look in return.

She gave him an innocent grin before looking at his work so far. "Wow. Real teleportation? How do you do it?"

"I'm sure it's far over your head, Miss Brightstream."

She put a hand to her forehead and groaned. "Another one insisting on the Miss? Will it ever stop?" She shook her head before adopting a secretive smile. "Actually, it might not be so far, Dexter. Are you using the principle of Quantum Entanglement?"

The boy paused in his work, sparing her an inquisitive glance. "Yes. What do you know about it?"

She stepped back and crossed her arms, looking up as though searching for the answers on the ceiling. "Well, there's the Uncertainty Principle, which pretty much states that the more exactly you know a particle's position, the less exactly you know its momentum, and vice versa. And that led to the idea that everything is made of waves. String theory. That matter is a wave of possibility. And that's there's the faintest chance, because of that, that you might wake up on a far away planet, because there's the slightest chance that you could exist there." She stopped and shook her head. "Oops, off topic. Teleportation. You have three particles, A, B, and C, with B and C entangled, meaning that what happens to one happens to the other. You then entangle A with B, which causes C to become a copy of A. A must then be destroyed."

She grinned. "Before you use it on kids, you might want to tell them that a copy is constructed on the other side and their old body is killed. Or you might not, depending."

Dexter stared at her for a moment. "You know basic quantum theory," he said, voice flat.

"Yes. Senior Physics. I plan on studying it in college. Or, well, planned on it."

"I'm sorry."

She raised an eyebrow. "What for? It's not your fault. Planet Fuse would have come without me getting rocketed into the future. That's what really wrecked my college plans."

"Not that. I'm sorry about your family." He looked at her. "And about the recent failed mission."

Ah. So that was it. He was taking all the deaths into his own conscience. "It's not your fault," she repeated, voice firm.

"I know that." This time, he raised his eyebrow. "What more do you know?"

"About quantum theory? Not a ton."

"Talk about anything." He put aside his work and sat on a stool near her, gesturing for her to do the same. She complied, confused. He was prompting her. What did he want her to say? What did he want to say?

He had a cold, disinterested look in his eyes. It almost drowned out the weariness. His glasses nearly hid the dark circles under his eyes, but not quite. Ben was right. He felt guilty about something, but she couldn't tell what yet.

"Time travel," she said, spouting the first thing that came to mind. "It should be impossible."

An imperceptible grin. "It's not."

"No, it's not," she agreed. "Travel to the past, at least, should be. The Grandfather Paradox and everything… But that obviously isn't relevant in the real world, ne?"

"True. Time travel has been proven possible in many experiments, in many circumstances, yours included." Dexter folded his hands in front of him and stared at her, amused. "Your point?"

She thought about it, about the issue that had been tickling the back of her mind for several months. "There are theories. One says that there's only one time-line, that it's immutable. That's been pretty solidly disproven, at this point, but there are others. That there's a multi-verse, for instance."

Dexter stiffened. She noted it out of the corner of her eye, but didn't react.

"It's possible that our world branches off into many, so that there are many possible futures. In that case, the past could stay immutable, since every future is possible. It's conceivable, then, that we could travel between branches in the multi-verse and see it as time travel."

He blinked and steepled his fingers. "In that case, sending you all back to the past would do nothing for those left in the future," he said, voice even.

There it was. The flash in his eyes. Kina met his gaze, refusing to blink. "Yes. They would have the same history as before. Nothing would change."

Dexter stood and walked over to a console. He pressed a few buttons and pulled up a video before beckoning her over. "I have something to show you," he explained, tapping a few more keys. "It's rather important."

She approached him and stared up at the screen, once more confused as a picture of Dexter himself popped up on the screen. It took her a moment to realize that this version was older. About two years older.

"This is the future you?" she asked.

Dexter nodded. "Yes. I received a message from him through the wormholes, the ones used to warn your Guides, and to channel the time stream to send you all back. They transfer data, and are fixed in the fabric of space, and along the same threads of time. Meaning," he continued, noticing her confusion, "that it connects the future you visited and our time, nothing and nowhere else."

"I see. When did he send this?" she asked, looking back up at the screen.

"You will see." He pressed play.

_"Dexter. I don't have much time,"_ the image said as a quake rocked the area around him._"I have important information for you, and some concerns. I fear that… I won't make it out of this lab in time. I leave everything in the hands of Numbuh Two and Mandark. The kids you sent into the future arrived a short time ago. They may be able to help here in this dark future, where Fuse has all but won, but… I believe they will be of more aid in the past, where you are. I've found the holes connecting our time lines and passed this information on to the others. Using the holes, they can travel back to you. Since our times are synched, though, however much time they spend here will be lost in the past..._

_ "This future is a lost cause. It pains me to say this, as I am sentencing my friends and comrades to death, but it is true. At least in the past, these children have some chance of stopping Fuse and returning the earth to normal. I'm sending some weapon and transport schematics along with this message to help as well._

_ "You have to trust the time travelers. I didn't have time to get to know many of them. Hardly any in fact, but the few I did are strong. Tal Lightsworn you know. Jade Goldeneye. Especially the oldest, Akinas Brightstream. She is intelligent enough to hold a conversation with and cares deeply for the younger kids._

_ "I've run out of time, Dexter. With the help of the lost, perhaps you won't. Remember, the wormholes can take information both ways. You can get in contact with this future, if you wish. I-"_ The message cut off abruptly, dissolving into static. Dexter pressed stop and turned to face Kina.

She blinked. "I knew it. In the future, I knew you… Sorry. He mentioned me?"

"Yes."

She shook her head, then stopped and thought. "He also said that… information runs both ways through the wormholes."

"Yes."

It dawned on her then, exactly what guilt had been wearing him down. "You've been in contact with them," she breathed, chest constricting. "Then…"

He looked down, seeming suddenly childlike and fragile. "Yes, Brightstream. Their future has stayed the same, even though our present has changed. I've lied to them, telling them that you never arrived in the past." He swallowed. "It's gotten worse for them."

"How bad?"

"Only Peach Creek Commons, Pokey Oaks North, and Sector V remain, along with a few islands. Genius Grove. Candy Cove is nearly gone. Goat's Junkyard fell yesterday, along with Jack."

"No," she whispered, clutching at her elbows. "I mean… I had hoped, but…" She shook her head. "In all honesty, that's what I thought would happen."

"We've pulled all remaining travelers out of the future, in hopes that you all arrive in time to make a difference for them." His voice was bitter with the lie. "They have little enough hope as it is."

Kina watched him closely, the way he stared at the blank screen with eyes just as empty. The way he held his hands behind his back. Not a position of confidence, like it usually was, but as though he was holding them for the sake of holding something, anything at all.

She moved closer and put her hand on his shoulder, drawing a surprised look from the boy genius. She gave him a soft look, eyes half lidded and filled with understanding.

"Dexter, there's nothing more you can do for them," she whispered. "You did all you could, and you've handled it beautifully. All you can do now is watch, and it's eating you up."

He looked away, all the proof she needed. She was right. Mission complete.

She didn't hug him. He wouldn't like that. But she kept her hand on his shoulder as she gazed at him. "It's okay, Dex. There's nothing more you can do for them. It's amazing that you're still watching, still giving them hope. That's the most honorable thing you can do."

"It doesn't feel like it." His clipped tone almost hid the tear thick quality of his voice. Kina had to really resist the urge to hug him then.

"Of course it doesn't. It feels like a pile of crud, I'm sure." She gave him the tiniest of smiles, drawing his gaze again. "You are giving them hope, still."

"False hope."

"No hope is false hope. So long as they have it, there's the faintest of chances…"

The look he gave her told her otherwise, but she shook it off. "Dexter, there's nothing you can do but witness their passing. I won't lie to you. You're too smart for sweet words to work. But you have to believe me when I say you're doing the best you can for them."

"They'll die," he whispered, looking at the floor.

She sighed and lowered her head. "Yes," she whispered. "They will, eventually, and if I'm not mistaken, you'll stay on the line to the end."

He looked up through his blue-tinted glasses.

"I'll watch with you. We'll stand vigil. We'll make sure they aren't forgotten."

He raised his head and she followed, giving him another small smile.

He sighed and nodded. "I would appreciate it. I'll contact you when… then. Now, please, get out of my laboratory." But he said in the nicest way possible this time.

Kina smiled, inclined her head to him, and walked towards the door.

"Oh, Brightstream," he said. Kina stopped and looked back and him. He smiled, just a little. "Tell Ben I'll be meeting him tomorrow for dinner at the Treehouse. I heard that they're making meatball subs and mashed potatoes."

Kina grinned. "I'll do that, Dexter."


	29. Interlude 7

_Two years after the Invasion... The night the Time Travelers arrived... DexLabs_

_

* * *

  
_

"Tal?"

"I thought you'd said goodnight?"

"Mhmm. If you could get a shot at Fuse, a way to save a world from being devoured, what would you give up for it?"

"That's pretty deep, Dex."

Dexter sat up again, staring intently at Tal. "Would you give up another world? Would it be worth it to save one world if another one had to die?"

"Dexter?" Tal sat up too, an edge of fear entering his voice. "Dexter, what's up? Why're you...?"

"It's nothing. Never mind, Tal. Go to sleep," he said, turning around and facing away.

Tal watched him for a minute, concern easily discernable on his features, but finally settled back. After a while, the two boys' breathing fell into a gentle rhythm, and, for a time, everything was calm.


	30. Responsibility 3

A/N: I hope you weren't too confused by the last two chapters... If anything needs clarifying in the multiverse theory, just ask. The Interlude also took place just after Interlude 2, if there was any confusion there. And so we go...

Disclaimer: I do not own FusionFall.

* * *

Ben stopped her as soon as she got back to Sector V. "So, how'd it go?" he asked. "Did he yell at you and throw you out?"

Kina scanned the hoverbike. "He yelled, all right, but just at first."

"Oh, good. Did you find anything out?"

"Yes."

Ben waited. "Well, what was it?" he asked finally.

Kina smiled. "I'll let him tell you when he's ready." Her smile faded slightly into a sad, knowing look, but she noticed his concern and smiled again. "He'll be all right. Just give him some time. By the way, he's coming here for dinner tomorrow."

Ben blinked and laughed. "Wow, I guess even the boy genius can't resist the allure of meatball subs and potatoes.

She grinned, shook her head, and walked away.

* * *

Before she made it to her room, she ran into Kael. He caught her by the arm, looking down at her with concern in his eyes.

"I heard about what happened," he explained, voice low. He pulled her to the side of the hall. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just…" The adrenaline and sense of purpose that had pushed her along faded, leaving her weak in the knees. "I'm just tired," she whispered, voice hinting at tears. She swayed on her feet, falling against him.

Startled, Kael caught her. He bit his lip, so close to her that he could smell the flowery shampoo she used. "Okay," he murmured, a tremor in the sound. "What do you want to do?"

"My room," she replied, looking up at him with big eyes. "I want to go to my room."

"Okay," he said, and he supported her as she hobbled down the hall.

* * *

Tal stood just around the corner, watching out of the corner of his eyes. He looked down, expression filling with pain, turned, and walked away.

* * *

He waited, watching over her as she fell into deep slumber. How much did she know? And where had she disappeared to? The questions rose and fell in his mind, timed with the beating of his heart.

He felt a bubble of panic inside and swallowed, staring at her sleeping form with an unwavering gaze. Stay calm. Stay calm. Stay…

A lance of pain shot through his head. He clapped his hands to his temples and squeezed, trying not to make any noise. Slowly, the sharp pain dulled into a low throb, spreading until his entire body ached with it.

After a few minutes, the pain subsided. He sighed and put his head in his hands. How much longer could he last?

Kina made a small noise. He stood, so fast that the blood rushed to his head, forcing him back into the chair. He groaned, waking her up the rest of the way.

"Kael? What're you still doing here?" she asked. His heart skipped a beat. The confusion on her face. The way her deep green hair was still pulled back, the front part tangled in a frenzied frame of her features. Her small body. The childlike way she was looking at him.

He swallowed, all thoughts of the voice thrust out of his mind. "I, ah, I wanted to make sure you were okay. You were kinda out of it before…" He trailed off, swallowing again.

Kina looked down. "Yeah. Thank you."

He bit his lip. "I suppose I should go now," he added, turning to do so.

"No! Wait… Come here," she said, shoving over and patting the bed next to her.

He paused, unsure, but her smile drew him over. Gingerly, cautiously, he slid under the covers. She snuggled up against him, closing her eyes while sighing contentedly.

"Sorry. I just don't want to be alone right now. There's some crazy stuff happening. Like… I shouldn't tell you this, but…"

"But what?"

She shook her head and glanced up at him. "Never mind. I pretty much promised I wouldn't say anything, so I won't. It's nothing for you to worry about, anyway. Let's talk about something else. Or about nothing at all."

"I like the second option," he said, looking down into her eyes. She caught his gaze and held it, the childlike look from before fading into confusion, then into something else entirely. He felt something shift within him and mirrored her expression, leaning down, lips parting.

She met him, and they kissed, though it didn't last long due to their awkward position. He broke away first, cheeks flushed, heart pounding in his chest.

She scooted away, brushing her hair behind one ear. "Ah, I'm…"

"No, I'm sorry, I didn't…"

"It's okay," she said, refusing to look at him. "It wasn't bad."

* * *

Tal stood outside Kina's door, hand poised to knock. It never fell. Instead, he reached over and pushed the button, causing the door to slide open with a quiet hiss. He waited, just outside, listening.

"But what about Tal? I thought you and he…?" Kael's voice. Tal could feel his blood pressure rising.

"I… Well, he's more of a brother, though I can never tell if he's the older or the younger." Kina's voice came like an arrow to the heart. Tal's throat constricted and he moved involuntarily, slipping around the corner, away from the room. His vision wavered, swam. He felt disconnected. Hand clenched. Teeth ground. Feet pounded the wooden hall. It wasn't him moving, though.

So it wasn't him that passed Kestrel a moment later, going the opposite direction. It wasn't him that ignored her greeting, nor was it him that failed to see the pain on her face when it went unanswered.

* * *

"Besides, Kestrel really likes him. I could never get between her and him," Kina finished, standing by the chair. She looked back at Kael, who was still perched on the bed.

"I see," he responded. She raised an eyebrow, unable to discern how he felt.

"In any event," she continued, crossing her arms, "we might want to hold off on a…relationship…until after we defeat Fuse."

A dark look crossed his face, a look of fear and hatred. "I guess you're right," he conceded, after a moment of thought. "But can we still…?"

She blinked. "Well, yeah, we can still go out whenever we have time. Just… nothing too serious, right?"

A relieved smile. "Right."

At that moment, Kestrel came in. She poked her thumb over her shoulder and tilted her head to the side. "Uh, Kina? You got some kinda new open door policy?"

The two older teens exchanged a glance. "I closed it," Kael said, holding up his hands.

"Then who…?" Kina began, but she stopped as Kestrel's eyes widened.

"Oh, shoot. That's probably why Tal was all… What were you two doing in here?" she cried, throwing her hands up.

"Nothing! Talking, that's all. And, well, we did…kiss," Kina stammered.

Kestrel groaned and rolled her eyes. "Well, that's what did it, then. I just met Tal going the other way, and he was totally freaking out."

"Oh no..." Kina breathed, finally realizing how blind she'd truly been. "Tal... I've got to go after him..."

"That might not be such a good idea," Kes said, turning away. "He looked totally ticked, like he was gonna kill someone. You might wanna steer clear..." She turned and fixed Kael with a combative gaze. "You should _definitely _steer clear."

"But..."

Kestrel held up a hand, eyes widening. "Oh, crud, that's not even half of it! I forgot- I came here to tell you. Devon Greymane's run off."

"What?" Kina leaped to her feet, eyes wide. "He's gone?"

"Some agents spotted him heading south, but were sidetracked by some monsters and couldn't stop him in time," she explained.

"The battleground west of Pokey Oaks. That's where he's heading," Kina said, certainty adding an edge to her voice. She clenched her fist. "I'm going after him."

"You sure that's a good idea?"

"Not really, but it's my responsibility," she answered, pulling on her light fleece jacket and strapping her Nanocom onto her wrist.

"I'm coming with you," Kael said, standing.

"No. You head to Eternal Vistas in case he's gone there. Kes, I want you to stay here and keep us updated on everything."

"I'd be more help-"

"Kestrel." Kina gave her a long look, eyes steely. "Stay here."

"Yes, ma'am," the younger girl murmured, cowed.

"Good. Let's go," she said, and stalked out the door.


	31. Responsibility 4

A/N: Do not go gentle into that good night. No, seriously. This is the beginning of the DARK part of the story. Also, there's a minor swear. Just a heads up for you younger peoples out there. And so we go...

Disclaimer: I. Do. Not. Own. FusionFall. Nope.

* * *

Tal wandered through Pokey Oaks North, not paying attention to where he was going. He'd turned his Nanocom to silent, not wanting to be bothered by anyone or anything, lost in his thoughts as he was.

So she liked Kael better. It wasn't as if he hadn't known that, but it still hurt. And she thought of him like a brother...!

He clenched his fists and punched the wall of a nearby building. He drew back his fist, startled at the pain, and stared at the blood welling up on his knuckles. _Idiot_, he thought, and turned around.

His eyes grew wide. Somehow, while he'd been distracted, a group of Boss Behemoths had surrounded him. He swallowed and materialized Luz, falling into a defensive stance. One or two he could've handled easily, but this...? There had to be at least ten of the monsters. He narrowed his eyes. They usually only traveled alone, with three Mean Behemoths as an escort. Something was up...

It didn't matter at the moment. The one directly to his left moved and he swung, striking it in the leg before it could knock him over. In an instant, he had his sword behind him, blocking another attack. He ducked and lashed out with Luz, managing to slice through one leg but failing to stop the second from striking his shoulder.

He cried out and swung, slicing through the other front leg of the first Behemoth and jabbing upwards to pierce its head. It disintegrated as it fell around him, showering him with the acidic fusion matter even as he ducked another attack. Another leg came up and crashed down beside him, only missing when he threw himself to the side. Yet another Behemoth towered over him, leg raised, ready to crush...

"Watch your feet!" someone shouted. Tal glanced down, noticing the ground glowing green in the telltale sign of a fusion matter explosion. He leaped backwards as it went off, destroying the Behemoth.

"Thanks!" he yelled, spinning and slicing clean through another leg, trying to spot his helper. Rifle fire drew his attention, over to his left.

His eyes widened and he stopped, stock still. It was Kael, standing just under one of the other Behemoths, sinking shot after shot into its belly. The older boy saw him and lowered the barrel of his gun.

"Pay attention!" he called, shooting. The blasts hit a Behemoth behind Tal, one that had been about to stun and stomp him into the ground. Tal blinked and turned, driving Luz into the creature's side. Together, the two took down the rest with little injury.

As the last one fell, Tal dismissed Luz and sank to the ground, breathing heavily. Kael walked over and stared down at him. "You okay?" he asked finally.

The boy looked up at him, face composed. "Yeah. Thank you."

"What, I was supposed to let you get killed?"

"Just accept it, jerk," Tal said, voice light. He got to his feet and frowned. "But it doesn't mean I forgive you," he muttered.

Kael looked away. Tal raised an eyebrow, watching him closely.

"You don't look too good," he said, voice betraying a bit of concern.

His face went pale under its sheen of sweat. He wiped at his forehead, grimacing. "It's nothing," he muttered, although his eyes glinted as he said it.

Tal shrugged, not looking away. As much as he might dislike the guy, he couldn't help but be concerned when a comrade looked green around the gills. "What are you out here for, anyway?" he continued, brushing off his jeans. "I thought you and Kina were hanging out."

Kael winced at the hint of bitterness in his voice. "I was...looking for you. Kestrel wants you to head back. She has something she wants you to do."

"Ah." He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I'll go, then. Uh, thanks again."

Kael looked away as Tal walked down the street, hand raised in farewell. "Don't mention it," he whispered, before turning and heading west.

* * *

Kina slowed to a walk, staring at the pockmarked field around her. She was in the highlands just north of Genius Grove, the place the battle had been at, the place Fusion Numbuh Five had been planning to attack from. She looked around, worry etching her features. Had she been wrong?

No. There he was, kneeling in front of one of the blackened circles of earth, tears streaming down his face. She hesitated and brought her Nanocom to her lips.

"Call Kael," she whispered, and when it connected, she said "he's here," and hung up again.

Slowly, she started towards him.

* * *

As Tal walked, he remembered that his Nanocom was still off. He brought his wrist up and hit the switch to turn it on.

"TAL YOU IDIOT!!!!" Kestrel's voice blasted from the com, stopping Tal in his tracks. He blinked, stared at the com, and laughed.

"Sorry, sorry, it was off. What did you need?"

"Stop laughing, you jerk! There's big trouble! Devon Greymane's gone missing and you were off being a moody idiot!" she cried, anger pitching her voice higher than usual.

Tal narrowed his eyes. "Wait, Devon's missing?" He glanced to the side, a look of confusion passing across his face. "Why didn't he...?"

"Yes, he's missing, dummy, that's why I called. Kina's gone to the battlefield to look for him and Kael was heading for Eternal Vistas. But that's not all of it- I just heard some crazy news and I can't get in contact with Kina or Kael for some reason."

"What is it?" Tal asked, still lost in thought.

"Devon's door was locked from the outside so he wouldn't get out, since they didn't know how he'd be, right? Well, when they looked at the lock, it'd been burned away. With fusion matter."

"What?" Tal swallowed. He didn't like the direction his thoughts were heading, but... "When was it? Do they know?"

"A couple of hours ago, they say."

"A couple..." He trailed off, staring at nothing. A couple of hours...he'd been there...had time...and then... The disaster with the battle...as if she'd... And why hadn't he...?

His eyes widened.

* * *

Kina knelt beside Devon, rubbing his back with one hand. She started as she heard a noise behind her, but relaxed when she saw who it was.

* * *

The timing...it fit. And then...how he'd seemed... And... And...

Tal turned to his left, eyes still wide.

"Tal? Are you still there? What's wrong? Tal?" Kestrel's voice was tinny and far away.

He swallowed again, still not wanting to believe...

* * *

"Are you okay? You don't look so good." Kina watched him, concern flitting across her face.

"I'm fine," he said, drawing closer.

Her heart beat a little faster and she pulled Devon in close. "We've got to get him back," she said, looking down.

He stayed silent.

* * *

Why had he been...? And why had he looked so...? And why hadn't he said anything about...?

And then Tal inhaled sharply, horror flashing across his features.

Boss Behemoths couldn't create fusion matter explosions.

"Oh, _shit_," he breathed, breaking into a run.

* * *

"Kael?"

* * *

Kael was a _Fusion_.


	32. Betrayal 1

Disclaimer: Don't own FusionFall. No, I don't.

* * *

Tal's feet pounded the asphalt, kicking up fallen leaves as he sprinted through the empty streets. He hit a corner and slid on the wet leaves, fell, caught himself with one hand and launched himself in a new direction.

His breath was ragged in his chest, but the look of horror hadn't faded.

Kael was a Fusion.

Kael was after Kina.

He had to stop him.

Legs aching, he sped up.

* * *

"Kael?"

"Kina, I'm sorry," he whispered, shaking.

She stood, fear on her face. "Kael, what's wrong? Are you sick?"

"No. Kina, I'm so sorry," he whispered again, taking one jerky step towards them, then another, eyes closed. He raised his arm, slowly, unsteady, and brought it down on the back of Devon's neck, knocking the boy out.

"Kael?!" Kina cried, moving to catch the boy. "What are you doing?!" she yelped, staring up at him, confusion on her face.

"Kina," he whispered, and opened his eyes.

They glowed bright red.

Kina inhaled and dropped to the ground, icy dread creeping into her chest. "What...?" she breathed, unwilling to believe what she saw.

"I'm sorry," Kael said again, looking away. His skin, usually so pale, took on the faintest green tint. After a second, he looked back at her with those terrible eyes. "I'm a Fusion."

"No."

"I'm sorry." He moved, faster than she could track, smacking the back of her neck. She went limp, crumpling, eyes closing, world fading...

"No..."

She fell in a heap at Kael's feet. The boy- the Fusion- regarded her with a sorrowful gaze before picking her up and walking further into the battlefield.

* * *

Kestrel swore under her breath as she lost contact with Tal completely. Working quickly, she found the spot he'd been at when the transmission cut off.

Her eyes widened slightly. It was the area around the battlefield... Where Kina was.

She might not have been the smartest kid around, but her thoughts started moving at light speed. Tal had sworn, actually _sworn_, before getting cut off, and it looked like he'd started heading for where Kina was. And he'd been muttering about something before...

Kestrel pressed a button on her com, connecting with Blossom, who was currently in charge of operations in the Pokey Oaks area.

"Kestrel? What is it? I'm a little busy..." the Powerpuff Girl said.

"Kina's in trouble. Tal's on his way."

"What?"

"I don't really know what's going on," Kes said, trying to remain calm, but voice betraying her fear despite her efforts, "but something really bad is going to happen, I just know it. So please, dispatch a team and have them go to the battlefield, please!"

* * *

Tal ran through the streets of Pokey Oaks North, focusing on one thing and one thing alone.

* * *

Kael stopped as he reached a pool of fusion matter and watched the tendrils signifying the entrance rise out of it. He sighed and blinked away the tears that sprang into his eyes.

"_You have her!_" The voice was filled with jubilation.

He shuddered and walked into the portal. "Yes, I do," he said, and looked away as he sank into the ground, Kina on his shoulder.

* * *

Kestrel leaned forward more on her hoverboard, coaxing a little more speed out of it, on her way to rendezvous with the team of Urban Rangers dispatched from the Cul-de-Sac. It was going to take too long...she could feel it...

A steely look in her eyes, she crouched on the board, streamlining her body, forcing it to go even faster.

* * *

Heart pounding, Tal rounded the last corner before the trail. He skidded again, this time falling on his side in the damp leaves. He growled, anger coursing through his veins, forcing him back to his feet.

His left wrist ached. He stared at it for a second, displeasure clear on his face. It was sprained, at the least.

He called out for Nano Numbuh One, who he'd chosen as a Healing Nano. While it wasn't much use in the middle of a fight, he could bandage him up after the fact.

While the little nano went to work, Tal grit his teeth and looked up the long hill. What was happening? Why did Kael need Kina?

And what could he do to stop him?

* * *

A/N: Eh, I made it choppy to try and get the feeling of "Oh shit!" across. I don't know if I was successful... Kestrel goes a little crazy, Tal becomes focused, Kael acts like an emo jerkface, and Kina is, once again, unconscious. Where do we go from here?


	33. Betrayal 2

A/N: How much farther into the darkness can we go? Oh, about this far... *holds hands apart, grinning*. I'm really glad some of you guessed that Kael was a fusion. I was trying to hint at it, so...success! Ah, I should probably put a few words of caution here. Minor language and at least one rather disturbing scene are present within this chapter. This is one of the few that will prompt me to say _follow the teen rating and don't read it if you're not over 12 years old_. Unless, you know, your parents aren't in the room, or you really don't care about a few sentences that could possibly make you go "eww". Agh. I'm such a terrible role model...

Disclaimer: I don't own FusionFall, nor any Cartoon Network characters. Sadly.

* * *

Kina opened her eyes, squinting to see in the darkness that surrounded her. She tried to sit up and found that she'd been tied down, strapped to the cold table on which she lay. After a second, she tilted her head to the side.

Kael. He stood beside her, eyes averted, a look of guilt plastered across his features. She blinked. Why...?

And as he glanced at her, revealing the red irises of his eyes, she remembered. Tied down as she was, she tried to recoil from him, the movement alerting him to the fact that she was awake.

He reached a hand out towards her, stopping a few inches above her arm. She shrank back, fear and rage shining in her eyes.

He drew his hand back and looked away again, silent.

There was a noise to her right. Kina tilted her head to the other side, eyes straining in the greenish light of the lair. Somewhere in the shadows, a figure stood. Slowly, a red glow appeared, and laughter filled the cavern.

"So," the thing hissed. "You're awake."

"Who are you?" Kina asked, voice wavering.

It laughed again and shuffled forward, into the light. Kina recoiled again, sliding under her bonds away from the horror that greeted her.

Fusion Numbuh Five. She was still alive, but...ruined. That was the word for it. _Ruined_. Her face was only half there, the right side of it a melted mass of green fusion matter. One arm was missing its lower half and her shirt was in tatters, hanging off her body in rags. Her left leg was twisted, gnarled, forcing her to move with a limping, shuffling gait. The worst of it, though, was the manic glint in her pupil-less red eye.

A smile stretched across the creature's face as she threw her head back and laughed again. "Do you like what you're little friends did to me?" she hissed, using her one clawed hand to gesture at herself. "Aren't I a pretty picture?"

The creature drew closer, placing her hand on Kina's cheek. She fought not to scream as Fusion Numbuh Five traced the outline of her face, chuckling.

"I'll be even prettier when we're done, love. Too bad you won't be able to see it!"Another shriek of laughter. The noise grated on Kina's eardrums, sending shivers of fear down her spine.

"Kael," she whispered before she could stop herself. She could feel the pleading look on her face, but couldn't make it go away, even though she knew he had betrayed her, even though it was his fault...!

The hand stopped, painfully gripping her chin. She cried out, feeling the blood well up beneath the creature's talons.

"You hear that, Kael-boy? You made her fall in love with you!" Her one eye shining with an insane light, the fusion grinned at him. "How sweet."

"My lady..." he whispered, mouth dry. "Perhaps..."

"Ah!" she cried, throwing her hand in the air and tilting her head to the side. "And what's this, then? You! You obsess over her, yes?" she hissed, eye narrowing. She returned her hand to Kina's face, stroking her cheek, trailing down onto her neck, to her chest. Staring at her with pure hatred, Fusion Numbuh Five dug her nails into Kina's skin, wrenching another yelp from her lips.

The fusion curled her own into a cruel smile. "Yes..." she whispered, dropping down so her lopsided mouth brushed Kina's ear. "Once we're done, Kael-boy will obsess over _me_, not _you_, you pathetic flesh-bag..." she murmured, grinning when she saw the abject terror swirling in her eyes.

"My lady, please..." Kael pleaded, swallowing.

The fusion stepped back and stared at him, giving him a contented smile. "Of course, love," she purred, reaching out to him with her ruined stump of a left arm. "All you have to do is tell me how... Tell your lady how you were created, and I'll end this torture... Tell me...!" She stepped around Kina's table and placed her good hand against his face. He stiffened, eyes wide, sweat glistening on his pale greenish skin.

After a moment, he shivered and stepped away. "I don't know how I was created," he said, voice flat, staring directly at her.

Her eye narrowed, she clenched her fist. "Tell me!" she howled, bringing it down on the table. The metal dented with a loud screech, echoed by Kina's startled cry.

"I don't know!" Kael yelled, holding his hands to his ears. "I would tell you if I did, but I don't know!"

Fusion Numbuh Five growled deep in her throat, but seemed satisfied by this answer. She turned and stood over Kina once more, a faraway look in her eye. "Then we'll do it the old fashioned way," she mused, tracing one claw over Kina's cheek, down to the hollow of her throat. She followed the collarbone up towards the shoulder, pausing when she touched the slender silver chain around Kina's neck.

"Ah," she murmured, eye locked on it. "What have we here?"

"No." Kina drew back as much as she could, but the fusion lifted the locket from under her shirt. She stared at it, a thin smile setting itself on her lips.

"Yes... Yes, I know this thing. The first girl I killed was clutching it even as I destroyed her..." Her eye misted over in memory, she missed the look that passed across Kina's face.

Kina froze, the blood in her veins turning to ice. Her gaze locked on the fusion, as revolting as she was, and did not waver.

"What did you say?" she asked, voice strong.

Fusion Numbuh Five glanced down at her and grinned. "What, was that human of importance to you? A friend? A sister, perhaps?" Her smile grew when she saw Kina's rage. "Hit a nerve, I see. And where was her big sister while I was ripping the spine from her screaming body, hmm?"

"You BITCH!" Kina howled, struggling wildly against her bonds. She thrashed like a fish on a line, muscles standing out in her neck as she madly sought after the fusion's neck. "You killed her! I'll kill you! I'll destroy you!"

Calmly, Fusion Numbuh Five tilted her head to grin at a stricken Kael. "You see?" she murmured, pulling the locket taut against its chain. "You see how fragile these creatures are? Broken so easily..."

She yanked the chain. It broke with a snap, sending silver links scattering over the metal table. Time slowed down until Kina could watch each one fall, settling on the table like snow. She strained against the straps one last time, eyes locked on the grin on Fusion Numbuh Five's face.

"No..." she whispered, and then she let out a wordless scream.

"You see, Kael-boy!" the fusion yowled, holding the locket above her head. "You see! Watch!"

"No..." he whispered, but he could not look away. The fusion matter around the cavern glowed brighter as her figure began to glow. As he watched, she became a torch of green light, her shape little more than a blaze, but he could see it. He could see her healing, her body changing shape, until...

The light went away and the figure collapsed to its knees. Silence reigned, until, a moment later, the figure began to laugh.

It stood, looking at its whole green skin, its new form, and laughed, throwing its head back and letting out enough sound to shake the cavern.

And then it retreated, leaning against the stone wall, and sank back to the ground. It closed its red eyes and relaxed, opening its hand. The locket skittered down across the rocky floor, coming to a rest at Kael's feet.

He bent down and picked it up, regarding it with a sad stare. After a moment, he looked up, staring at Kina. Her scream had ended, her body relaxed back onto the table, her eyes closed. Tears leaked from behind the tightly closed lids.

"Give it back," she whispered between labored breaths. "Please...no...give her back..."

Kael looked away, tightening his grip on the locket, as Kina passed out on the table.

* * *

A/N:...I don't really hate Kina. She just suffers so well... Eh, and you know the whole "Fusions don't have mouths in-game" thing? Yee-eah. I totally forgot that while writing all of the scenes with fusions in them. So, this is firmly in the realm of AU. Until tomorrow!


	34. Betrayal 3

Disclaimer: I don;t own FusionFall.

* * *

Tal finally made it to the top of the trail. He glanced around, unsure of what to do now. Nano Numbuh One floated by his shoulder, peering out at the battlefield.

"What's that over there?" the nano asked, pointing to the left.

Tal followed his small arm and spotted a crumpled figure. In a flash, he was next to it, kneeling in the dirt. "Devon," he breathed, checking the boy's pulse.

It was strong. The boy was still alive. Tal stood and looked left and right while Nano Numbuh One busied himself checking Devon for injury. After a few minutes, Tal knelt back down.

"How is he?" he asked, voice quiet.

"He's just been knocked unconscious. He'll have a might bruise on the back of the neck, but other than that, he'll be fine," the nano explained before rubbing his temple. "I'm tired."

"I'm sure. Thanks," Tal said, dismissing him. After the nano disappeared, he sighed and lifted Devon. Thank goodness the boy was so small.

Taking a moment to reposition Devon in his arms, he turned and walked further into the battlefield, alert for any motion whatsoever.

* * *

Kestrel led her team at a run through the streets of Pokey Oaks. Of course they wouldn't have hoverboards. They had to travel on foot. At this point, the dread in her chest told her that they were far too late. Whatever had been going to happen had happened. It was now a matter of damage control, she was sure of it.

She clenched her fists as she sprinted, barely slowing for the final corner before the trail began. She just hoped there wasn't too much damage to control.

* * *

Tal stopped in his tracks, eyes wide. Someone was hobbling towards them, out of the mist-filled twilight that covered the battlefield. He narrowed his eyes and bent down, placing Devon gently on the ground.

"Equip Pop Gun," he muttered, holding out his hand. The handle of the gun appeared, pixilated, in his hand before solidifying. He grabbed it and lifted the barrel to point at the approaching figure, elbow bent slightly, but arm locked in its aim.

"Who are you?" he shouted, moving to shield Devon behind his legs. "What're you doing here?"

"Tal..." the figure muttered. "You made it."

Tal's blood ran cold. He slammed his other hand onto the pistol and held it, finger hovering just above the trigger.

"Give me one reason not to shoot you here and now, Kael," he growled, eyes dark.

He stepped forward, eyes averted. "I have Kina. She's still alive," he whispered.

Tal looked closer. Yes. Supported between his arms was Kina. Her head lolled, but he could see the faint rise and fall of her chest. He grit his teeth and returned his gaze to Kael's guilty face. "What did you do to her?"

"I had no choice. Fusion Numbuh Five... She commanded me to bring Kina, and... She..." Kael trailed off, brow furrowed. "You're not going to believe me, but she became a fusion of Kina."

"What?"

"A Fusion Kina. That's what she wanted her for. And she wants me to kill Kina now, but I _can't_, I just _can't_. Tal, you have to take her away from here, _now_."

Slowly, Tal lowered his gun. "Gladly," he growled. "Bring her here."

Kael stepped forward and knelt, setting Kina gently on the ground. Tal summoned Nano Eduardo, who floated between the two fallen teens and Kael, tiny arms spread. As Kael looked up, starting to stand, Tal pressed the barrel of his Pop Gun against his forehead. The fusion closed his eyes and let out a weak laugh.

"Do it, then. Destroy me, please. I don't deserve to live," he whispered, tears beginning to stream down his cheeks.

Tal bit his lip, heart pounding in his ears. After a second, he brought the gun back up and looked away. "Get out of my sight," he muttered.

Kael opened his eyes, staring at the young man in front of him. "What?"

Tal glanced down at him, anger clear on his face. "Look," he said, sighing. "Why did you save me earlier?"

"I..." Kael trailed off. "I didn't want you to die."

"Is that it? Because you gave away the fact that you were a fusion to do it. Was that the only reason?"

He looked down at the ground. "Because I wanted you to come save Kina," he whispered.

Tal gave him a pained grin. "Either way, I owe you one. So I can't kill you." He whipped the pistol back down and knelt, staring into Kael's eyes with an intent gaze, anger barely held in check. "That's not to say I won't kill you the next time I see you, but for now, I owe you. We're even now, you hear? So get out of my sight."

Kael stood, sorrow clear on his face. "Alright, then," he said, turning. "I'll go. But give this to Kina." He dropped something in front of Tal.

And he disappeared back into the mist.

Tal watched him go, dismissing Nano Eduardo and his pistol only after he'd gone out of sight. Quickly, he knelt beside Kina, summoning Nano Numbuh One once again.

After taking a second to check her vitals, the nano proclaimed that she'd be fine. Tal nodded, turned, and picked up the object Kael had dropped.

It was a locket.

* * *

Kestrel's heart was pounding as she arrived at the battlefield. The entire expanse was bathed in mist and greenish light, giving it an utterly eerie appearance. The Urban Rangers behind her stopped at the edge of the field, looks of fear on their faces.

"Well, come on," she growled, stepping into the mist. "Let's go."

"I hear it's haunted," one of the younger Rangers squeaked.

Kes was in front of him in an instant. She grabbed the collar of his uniform, pulling him close. "What do you think we came here for, huh? To go sightseeing? My friends are in there somewhere and you're too _scared_ to help?!"

"Let him go," came a gentle, if labored, voice. Kes whipped her head around, staring into the mist as a figure materialized.

"Tal?" she asked, letting go of the kid's shirt. He fell on the ground with a thud, a look of relief plastered across his face.

"Yeah. I've got Devon and Kina, too," the figure responded, finally coming close enough to be identified. Tal had draped Devon on his back, almost in a piggy-back position, and cradled Kina in his arms. Nano Numbuh One assisted by holding onto Devon's shirt, keeping him from sliding off.

Kestrel strained to see behind them. "What about Kael?" she asked.

Tal's expression grew dark. "He's not coming back," he growled. "Ever again."

Kestrel raised an eyebrow, but turned back to her unit. "Charlie, grab Devon. Jacob, why don't you get Kina?"

"I have her," Tal muttered, wincing.

Kes glanced at his left wrist, which was still wrapped in white bandages. "Right," she responded, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Jacob, get Kina. Tal, take it easy, you're hurt. We're going to the Cul-de-Sac."

* * *

A/N: Whew. The crazy is pretty much over now. All that's left is the explanation, than it's onwards into the Holidays. Until next time!


	35. Betrayal 4

A/N: Wheeee updating at 2 in the morning... Oh finals week, I love you *sarcasm*.

Disclaimer: I don't own FusionFall.

* * *

Kael shivered as the cold green fusion matter deposited him on the stony floor of his mistress's lair. He stepped forward, towards the terrible room in which she waited.

"So, you came back. What happened while I was...incapacitated?" she asked, standing next to the table. Her back to him, she lifted her left hand and clenched it, a satisfied smile stretching itself across her face.

"One of her friends broke into the lair and stole her away. I was attempting to bring her back," Kael lied. He showed nothing of the falsehood.

She turned and looked at him, red eyes half closed. "Is that so, love? A shame. I wanted her destroyed..." Her voice trailed off in a purr as she smiled again. "Ah well. I suppose your cover is blown now and you can't go back to spying for me, hmm?"

Surprised at his previous lie and flushed with that small victory, Kael decided to try his luck once more. "Actually, her friend never saw me, and, before she passed out, Kina appeared to have broken. I don't believe she will remember any of what went on down here." He paused, thinking. "It's possible that you tortured her enough that her mind simply blocked it out."

The fusion threw back her head and laughed. "Yes... Yes, I would enjoy that very much," she crowed, leaning back on the table. "If you're so sure of your theory, pet, go test it once we're done talking."

"Yes, my lady."

She tilted her head to the side and stared at her whole left hand. "Isn't it wonderful, Kael? The voices have gone silent. And that one in particular..." She grinned. "His words are so much fainter now. This freedom... It's intoxicating."

Kael swallowed and said nothing. What she was saying... Could it possibly be...?

She fixed her gaze on him once more. "Now, tell me, Kael. This girl... Her whole name was...?"

"Akinas Brightstream, my lady. Her nickname is Kina."

A thin smile on her lips, the fusion sighed. "A lovely name. And what should we call me, then? Hmm? Perhaps..." She thought for a minute, bringing her hand to her mouth. "How about Darkstream? Nika Darkstream?" She tasted the words as she said them and gave Kael a satisfied smile. "Say it."

"Nika Darkstream, my lady." They tasted like ashes to him.

"Yes, yes, wonderful. Much better than hers, yes?" An odd light in her eyes, she threw back her head and laughed once more. "As I am much better than her. It fits. Now go, my pet, and see if they still welcome the viper into their nest with open arms."

Kael bowed and retreated from the lair, flushing with his meager success.

Nika Darkstream watched him go, a dreamy look on her face. "Yes, pet, go to them. But you'll always by mine. All _mine_..."

* * *

Tal stepped out of the shower and grabbed his towel, drying himself off. He pulled on clean boxers and a new pair of jeans (the old ones were now ragged beyond repair) and roughly toweled off his hair. He leaned forward on the counter and stared into the mirror. Hazel eyes looked back, their color deepened by the massive dark circles around them. He blinked and dropped down onto the counter, exhaustion finally beginning to catch up with him.

He was in a small guest room at a house in the Cul-de-Sac. Kestrel had finally gotten him to let go of Kina and dragged all of them back down. She'd made sure his wrist had been taken care of (by Double D, no less), found a free room for Devon and Kina, and gotten Wilt to look after them while they recovered.

Tal turned his head and cracked open his eyes, looking at the locket on the counter next to him. It was Kina's. When he'd made it into the room, he'd pried it open and taken a peek. Inside it was a picture of Kina and a young girl, her sister, he assumed. No wonder she hadn't taken it off since Blossom had given it to her.

He stood and looked into the mirror once more as the door banged open behind him.

In an instant, he turned, hand reaching for his abandoned Nanocom, the command to materialize his Pop Gun on his lips.

Kestrel held up her hands, eyes wide and staring. They stood, watching one another for a second, perfectly still. Her eyes slid downwards to his bare chest.

She let out a squeak and blushed, hurriedly looking away. "S-sorry!" she yelped, starting to back out of the room.

Tal relaxed and stepped out into the main part of the room, reaching for a clean shirt. "No problem, Kes," he assured her, rolling his eyes. "Come back in. What's up?"

Eyes still averted, she walked back into the room. "There's big trouble out by the gates. I know you said..."

"I said what?" Tal asked, pulling on the long-sleeved brown shirt he'd been given. He ran a hand through his wet hair and fixed her with a long gaze.

She shook her head. "Kael... You said he was a fusion, right?"

His look darkened. "Yeah. He's under Fusion Numbuh Five's control... I guess." He thought about what Kael had said about Fusion _Kina_ and shuddered. "Why?"

She looked away. "And you said he wasn't coming back? Ever?"

"Kes, what's wrong? What's going on?" He strapped his Nanocom onto his wrist and activated it, immediately materializing Luz and sliding it into the sheath on the bed. He picked that up and fastened the belt around his waist, waiting for Kes's answer.

Unsure of herself, she bit her lip. "Tal... Kael's at the gates."

Without a word, they ran out of the room, bound for the mouth of the Cul-de-Sac.

* * *

In the darkness of the room, a single light flickered into existence. It illuminated two beds, a sleeping form on each, and a chair next to the door. In the chair sat a tall red figure, legs spread out across the floor. His head lolled back, exhaustion stealing the Imaginary Friend away from his duty.

The light came from a Nanocom. It had a large crack running through the face and was believed to be broken by all who had seen it. It had once belonged to Alexander Greymane, the younger brother of the boy on the bed.

Deep in slumber, Devon's eyebrows creased. He whimpered and curled up on the bed, hand clutching at the blankets. The dream was beginning again. The nightmare.

_"Alex? You okay?"_

_ "I'm fine, bro." The boy looked up, eyes wide. "What's going on out there?"_

_ Devon peeked out of the ditch they were hiding in and was rewarded with a blast of fusion matter. He fired a few rounds at the monster and grinned as it was destroyed._

_ "Fighting, duh. How's your Nanocom? Still on the fritz?"_

_ The young boy shook his arm and tapped the face of his com. "Nothing yet. Maybe we should just..."_

_ There was a horrible sound from the battlefield. Something like a huge explosion, coupled with yells and moans of pain, followed by laughter. High, unrelenting, maniacal laughter. It made the Greymanes's blood run cold._

_ "No way," Devon breathed, looking over the dirt. "It can't be..."_

_ "What can't be?" Alex asked. Devon turned to face him, to answer, but stopped, eyes wide. He opened his mouth to cry out, a warning on his lips, but it was too late. The fusion matter explosion engulfed his brother in green light._

_ "No!" he screamed, reaching for his brother, to no avail. The damage was done. The boy fell to the ground, shrieking._

_ "No...!"_

_ Devon's sight swam. He thought he saw a group of people, led by a boy with brown hair and a green jacket, run onto the battlefield, thought he heard someone asking if he was okay, but knew no more..._

Sweat beaded his forehead. His muscles twitched, but, caught in the dream, he couldn't move an inch.

The light from the busted Nanocom increased, bathing the room in a greenish glow. There was a flash of light.

In the darkness left behind, a nano appeared. He looked around, eyes wide. His gaze fell on Devon and his little brows knit together. He floated down and placed a hand on the boy's cheek.

A noise drew his attention away. The nano moved over to the other bed, head cocked to the side. The sleeper was a girl, laying on her back, under the covers, very still. Her chest moved with each breath. One hand was curled at the base of her throat, as though holding something invisible.

The nano blinked and floated downwards, landing on her stomach. He curled up in a little ball, catlike, and closed his eyes.

* * *

A/N: Nika Darkstream is crazy-pants still, and Grey has fun coming up with stupid names. Oh, lampshading... And now we know exactly what happened to poor Devon. And a Wild Nano appears! Fight? Item? Pokemon? Run?

...I'm so sorry. This is my brain on lack of sleep and the end of a sugar/caffeine high. Um. Three chapters after this one, still updating at one a day (unless finals run me over and back up to make sure I'm dead). Until tomorrow!


	36. Betrayal 5

A/N: Still alive, for now... I'm updating a few minutes early so I don't have to worry about it tomorrow. Oh lordy lou.

Disclaimer: I don't own FusionFall.

* * *

Tal stopped short at the great doors bearing the face of Plank. He looked straight ahead, eyes wide. "Why the heck are you here, Kael?" he shouted, drawing his attention. The fusion stared at him, a blank look on his face.

"Are you going to kill me, Lightsworn?" he asked. His voice was quiet, barely loud enough to be heard, but piercing enough that it reached Tal's ears. He winced and looked away.

"So, he's a fusion, right?"

Tal looked to his right. Ben, Edd, and Dexter stood there, just outside the wall, the latter with his arms crossed and an amused expression. He looked at Tal through his blue-tinted glasses. "Kael Solarsal is a fusion, correct?"

"Y-yeah," Tal managed, glancing back at the figure in question. "How long has he been out here?"

"Five minutes," Ben answered, eyes locked on him. "He hasn't done anything. Yet."

"What do you think we should do?"

"Not a clue." The green eyed boy finally turned to face Tal. "Personally, I think destroy him, but these two..." He gestured at Edd and Dex.

"I just don't feel right killing him like this," Double D murmured, looking down at the ground between his feet. "We worked with him for so long... And he brought Kina back, didn't he? Didn't Tal report that he felt remorse about his actions?"

"Plus it's the perfect chance to get an inside look at a fusion. How he was created, everything," Dexter said, eyes shining with the scientific possibilities.

"As you can see, we're at a stalemate," Ben added, rolling his eyes.

"What does Kina say?" Kestrel asked suddenly, appearing next to Tal.

All four boys looked away.

"She's not awake yet," Edd admitted. "Perhaps we should wait for her input...?"

Kes grinned, a feral look in her eyes. "No. I'll take her revenge for her. Just let me get a bigger gun and I'll blast him to kingdom come...!"

Tal put his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. "Kina wouldn't want that. No matter what he's done, she wouldn't want him killed. That's just the way she is."

She fixed him with a stony glare. "The heck are you saying, Tal? Listen to yourself! You're defending the guy you hate!"

"I know," he answered, deadpan. The lack of emotion in his voice startled her, although not as much as when he started walking towards Kael.

* * *

Kina opened her eyes. She lifted her head and looked down at the nano, blinking in the darkness. When her eyes finally adjusted, she could make out a tiny version of Edd's signature beanie.

"A Nano Double D?" she whispered, moving her hand down to support him as she sat up. The nano looked up at her and blinked, eyes wide. "Who do you belong to?"

The nano said nothing, just stared at her with large, sorrowful eyes.

Bemused, Kina lifted him up and set him on her shoulder. She stood, grabbed the blanket off the bed, and wrapped it around her shoulders, carefully covering the nano. "Let's go see if we can find out, then, okay?" she asked.

Without stopping to look at the room around her, Kina walked out the door.

Wilt and Devon slept on.

* * *

"What is it, Lightsworn?" the fusion sneered. "Coming to do me in yourself?"

"No. I'm not."

A glimmer of confusion appeared in his eyes. "Why not?"

"Kina wouldn't like that. And for reasons of my own. You're coming with us for interrogation."

"What if I refuse?" Kael asked.

"Then we'll force you," he answered flatly.

Kael gave him a long, hard look. "Just kill me, boy, it's what you're supposed to do."

"No."

The light in his eyes took on a blood red hue. "I'll fight you. I'll kill you."

"No."

He fell into a fighting stance, clawed hands at the ready, and looked at Tal. His eyes slide beyond the boy, however, and widened.

Kina stepped out of the room and into the Cul-de-Sac. She paused for a moment, looking around, sparing a slight thought as to how she'd wound up there in the first place. Coming up blank, she turned and looked towards the Doors of Plank.

"Look. There's a bunch of people," she said, reaching up to pat the little Nano Double D on the head. "Let's go see if your owner's there."

She started walking, her steps making light crunching noises as she crushed leaves beneath her feet. Soon, the ground would be frozen. Soon, it would be covered in snow.

She reached the gates and found the small opening, peeking her head through. Everyone was staring at something in front of the gates. Stepping fully out of the Cul-de-Sac, she took a closer look. Tal, and...

Kael. He saw her and stood up straighter, color draining out of his face and eyes returning to their brown hue. Shock registered in his face.

Tal saw that and turned, eyes widening slightly when he saw Kina standing there, blanket wrapped around her shoulders. A small nano stood in the air next to her, having wiggled his way out of the blanket.

Kina remembered everything. In a flash, it came flooding back. Everything. Her hand tightened on the blanket, drawing it closer to her skin, but she met Kael's startled gaze with a stoic look. In a fluid movement, she turned and walked away, the nano following close behind.

"Kina..." Kael breathed.

Tal looked at Kes and jerked his head to the side. She turned and ran after their friend, sliding in the wet leaves.

Tal stepped behind Kael and grabbed his arms, drawing him to the ground. He offered no resistance, eyes locked on Kina's receding figure. As an Urban Ranger stepped forward, rope in his hands, Tal leaned down to whisper in Kael's ear.

"You love her. That's why I'm not killing you here and now."

* * *

Kina walked back into the small house she'd left, holding back the flood of emotions that raged within her. She leaned back against the wall and slid down it, putting her head in her hands. She remembered. Good Lord, did she remember...

A tiny tug on her shirt made her look down. The Nano Double D was pulling on the hem, a questioning look in his eyes. He tugged on it again and patted her arm, floating upwards. She cupped her hands and he sat in them, curling up once more as she brought him to her chest.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"Kina?" Kestrel stepped through the door and looked down. "Are you okay?"

The older girl thought about the question and looked up, half a smile on her face. "What do you think?" she asked, voice near dripping with sarcasm.

Kes winced. "Ah, standard question. Sorry." She thought for a moment. "But if you can use sarcasm, it's not so bad, I guess."

* * *

A/N: Thanks, guys, for sticking around and the favorites and so on! Angsty!Tal is is angsty... Grey is rather tired. Grey just wrote a nine page paper about anime and American animation. Grey would like to go to sleep for a week... Ah, yes. Next chapter will be up Tuesday. I do hope you enjoy!

By the way, this story is MASSIVE for me. I've exceeded 100 pages by...well, at least ten in Word. That's single spaced, Times New Roman, size 12, 1 inch margins, 100 pages. Holy crud. So I really do hope you guys like it. I'm sure having fun writing it.


	37. Betrayal 6

A/N: Eh, it'll be ready for Tuesday reading. By the way, I used a joke in one of the last two chapters about "standard question" after asking if Kina was okay. That is not my joke. It was used in Danny Phantom, which is an epic show that deserves to be watched (and didn't deserve to be ended so soon).

Disclaimer: FusionFall is not owned by me.

* * *

"What's the matter, Lightsworn?" Kael asked, a mocking tone in his voice. "Didn't you say you'd kill me the next time you saw me?"

Tal remained silent, walking next to the captured fusion. Kael's arms were tied behind his back. Ben paced down the hall on his other side, green eyes locked on his former comrade. Edd walked a few paces behind, following the escort of Urban Rangers closely, while Dexter strode alongside him. Despite not putting up a fight when they'd taken him into the Cul-de-Sac, Kael had regained his bravado when they'd entered Edd's house.

His eyes flashed red. "What, are you scared, Lightsworn? Not man enough to do me in?"

Tal snapped his hand out and shoved Kael into the wall. He hit with a sickening thud but remained standing, eyes fixed on the boy in front of him. Tal slammed his hands against the wall on either side of him and drew in close, rage burning deep in his eyes.

"That's it, _boy_. Kill me," Kael hissed. "That's what you're _meant _to do, isn't it?"

All at once, the anger drained out of Tal's face. He blinked and moved back, taking on a calm, resolute expression. Slowly, he shook his head and took his hands away from the wall.

"Come on," he said, voice flat. "Let's get him to interrogation."

Kael narrowed his eyes, leaning back slightly against the wall, shoulders rounded forward. "Coward!" he spat in a last ditch attempt.

Tal whirled around and fixed him with a long, sad gaze. Kael's eyes widened, the red hue draining away, leaving only a pleading look in their depths.

"Who's the real coward?" Tal asked, pity clear in his voice. "Me, or you, begging to be killed?"

"I..."

"Kael, just stop. I _know_. I _know_ you're trying to make amends, but your death won't do _anything_." Tal stepped forward and placed one hand against Kael's chest, pressing him back against the wall. "The fact that you're trying to do something means you're different from other fusions, so tell us why." He pressed a little harder. "Plus, making amends means suffering. Death would be way too quick. Living means suffering, so _live_. _Help us_."

Mute, Kael swallowed and nodded.

* * *

Kina hugged the little nano tighter and squeezed her eyes shut, lowering her head. "Kes, please," she whispered. "I can't..."

"You can't what?" Her voice was coarse and cold. Kina looked up at her, eyes widening.

The younger girl was looking up at the corner of the room, hands on her hips. "What can't you do, Kina? Deal with everything? Sure, he betrayed you. He betrayed all of us. Get over it."

"That's not what I mean."

The girl glanced down, eyebrows raised, a serious expression on her usually jovial face. "Try me, then. What's got you all worked up again?"

Unconsciously, Kina brought her hand to her throat. Remembering the loss of her locket, she sighed and dropped her hand onto the nano's head. "Fusion Numbuh Five wasn't destroyed."

"I know."

"She's the one who killed my sister."

Kes's eyes widened. "Tal left that part out," she muttered, but Kina shook her head.

"He probably doesn't know... It was when I was down in her lair. She..." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The little nano put his hand on one of her fingers and patted it gently, staring up at her with wide eyes. "She wasn't right in the head."

"Well, no duh. She's a fusion."

"That's not it. Kes, she... She took _pleasure_ in telling me that. She _enjoyed_ seeing me in pain. It's like... It's like she was pure evil."

Kestrel remained silent, dropping to the floor and sitting cross-legged in front of Kina. "Okay," she said, reaching over and giving the nano a little stroke on the head. "Tell me about it. I'll listen."

* * *

"What do you want to know?"

Kael sat across the table from the four boys, eyes lowered. His hands were still behind his back, now secured to the chair he was sitting in. Edd sat in one of the remaining chairs, Dexter next to him, while Tal and Ben stood behind them. The escort waited outside the dining room.

"Everything," Dexter said, eyes glinting.

Tal shook his head. "Ignore the science geek for a minute."

"Hey!"

"Tell us about you, for now," Edd interjected, hands on the table in front of him. "For example, how you were created. What your purpose was."

"How much information you leaked," Ben added coldly.

Kael winced and squirmed in his seat. "I..." He closed his eyes for a second and shook his head. "I don't even know how to begin."

"Well, we know Kael Solarsal lived in Downtown up until half a month after the Invasion. He was to be part of one of the evacuated groups, but the group went missing before they left town. Kael reappeared about a month later. I assume that was actually you?" Dexter crossed his arms and gave the other boys a condescending look. "Yes, I do my homework before interviewing a subject."

"Yes, that was me," Kael answered once the genius was done gloating. "Fuse had seen that some of his fusions were mistaken for the original, so he wanted to see how far he could go, see if he could someone to spy for him in your ranks. He had a group of monsters attack the group and take them hostage. They were kept prisoner in bad conditions for quite some time while he...experimented."

"How?"

"He tried to combine humans with Spawns. No mimicry about it, just straight...fusion. Except it didn't work," he said, looking up to meet their horrified stares. "It didn't work. They all died right away, or turned into mindless zombies, or, in a few cases, the human took over and rebelled against Fuse. Those ones were destroyed."

"And what about you?"

"I... Kael was his last chance, but..." He grimaced and looked away, eyes closed, and sighed. "Kael died in captivity. Fuse took a chance and combined a Spawn...me...with the corpse. And...it worked."

"Okay, ew," Ben said, a look of repugnance clear on his face. Tal, too, screwed up his face in disgust, while Edd tried in vain to keep the revulsion he felt out of sight. Only Dexter remained calm, staring intently at Kael.

"I see," he mused. "A literal fusion. Interesting. Please continue."

Kael gave him a long, searching look before sliding his gaze up to the others. "Are you sure this kid's human?" he asked.

"We think so. Go on," Tal urged.

Kael sighed. "You know what comes next. I arrived at the Treehouse and skulked around there, gathering information for my master. I was placed under Fusion Numbuh Five's direct control. Literally. Anything she ordered me to do, I had to. I could barely think for myself, only enough to pass myself off as human."

"And this has changed?" Edd asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Yes. When I met Kina... No, even before then. Seeing the kids that had been hurt, both inside and out, watching everything that was going on, I started to feel...guilty." He shook his head. "Fusions shouldn't feel that when they look at what their master has wrought. At most, they should feel vicious pride. Rage. Hatred. But not guilt."

"And not love." Tal crossed his arms and met Kael's startled gaze. Slowly, Kael lowered his eyes, staring at the wooden table.

"No. Not love," he whispered. "But then I met Kina. It started out as...obsession, if you will. Fixation. And then I realized that when I was around her, I felt even more emotions. Happiness. Guilt, of course. Comfort. And, yes, love, eventually."

"And then?"

Kael closed his eyes and turned away. "And then I overheard you discussing what you and Kes had seen, Tal. You'd seen my Lady's troops getting ready to attack, and I was under direct orders to inform her of any information you had as to her plans. So..."

"You reported to Fusion Numbuh Five and 39 kids lost their lives," Ben said, fists clenching. "Bastard."

"I had no choice!" Kael shouted, still looking away. Tears leaked from behind his closed lids. "I had no choice! I didn't want to do it! At that point, I knew that something was different, because I didn't want to tell her, but I had to!"

A touch fell on his shoulder. He stopped and stared. Edd had stood and reached across the table, laying his hand gently on Kael's shoulder. His eyes were bright with tears, but they shone with sympathy. "It's okay, Kael," he said. "We understand."

"You might," Ben muttered under his breath, but waved one hand before crossing his arms. "Whatever. Keep going."

"When you nearly destroyed Fusion Numbuh Five, you somehow cut her off from Fuse. I don't know," he said in response to Dexter's excited look. "I don't know why or how, but it cut her off. She went...insane...and started to obsess over Kina."

"In the same way you did?"

"I guess so, but she didn't start to love her. Just...obsess. So much so that she wanted to become Kina, the same way I became Kael. The order she gave me to bring Kina to her...it was too strong. I couldn't disobey. I opened Devon's door found him awake, staring at his brother's Nanocom. I didn't even have to say anything. He bolted, and I knew Kina would chase after him."

"So you brought her Kina. What happened then?"

"Then? When she saw Kina, she lost it even more. I was partly free of her influence. I managed to lie about my creation, told her I didn't remember it, so...she settled for becoming a Fusion Kina. She calls herself Nika Darkstream."

"How original," Ben said, rolling his eyes.

"But... she mentioned something interesting," Kael continued, ignoring him. "She said that she can't hear Fuse's voice that well anymore. And she's showing more emotions, like she did while she was insane. I mean, she's more sane now, but..."

"Hold on. Can't hear Fuse? As in free?" Tal asked, standing up straighter.

"Almost. She said his voice was quieter. And I managed to lie to her twice, and disobey some of her orders. It's like..." He stopped, eyes wide. "It's like I'm free, now, too."

* * *

A/N: So now we know what happened with Kael. And the lampshading mentioned a couple chapters ago? Ye-eah, that's actually in this chapter. Have fun finding it. OH REVELATIONS, I ADORE THEE. !Buena suerte en tu vida, y hasta luego!


	38. Betrayal 7

A/N: I will be working my bum off tomorrow (thank you finals), so this is going up now. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own FusionFall

* * *

Kestrel leaned her head back against the wall, eyes wide. "Holy crow," she whispered, bring her hand to her forehead and closing her eyes. "That's... Crud. That's..."

Kina nodded and curled her arms around Nano Double D. "I know. It... I've never wanted to hurt anyone so much as I did at that moment."

"And how do you feel about Kael right now? He's the one who did this to you, right?"

She sighed and stretched out her legs. "I don't know yet, Kes. I'm still trying to find out where I stand."

Kes narrowed her eyes but said nothing. To think she'd liked the guy...! Unconsciously, she clenched her fists. She wasn't even the one hurt and it ticked her off.

At that moment, a loud crash from the other room alerted them to the fact that Wilt had woken up and found one of his charges missing. The red Imaginary Friend ran out into the hall, panic on his face, before he looked down and saw the two girls.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, if I did! It's just, you were gone, and I panicked, and... Oh, sorry, I'm not trying to blame you or anything! Sorry..."

Kina held up her hand and smiled. "Don't worry about it, Wilt. I'm sorry for giving you such a scare."

The Friend smiled and glanced at the little nano in her arms. "Hey, where'd he come from?" he asked, kneeling down.

"I don't know. I was trying to find out. When I woke up, he was curled up on my stomach," Kina explained, patting the nano's head. He nestled deeper in her grasp.

"That's Socks."

Wilt, Kina, and Kes looked up. Standing in the doorway to the other room was Devon, face pale and drawn. Kina leaped to her feet, followed closely by Kes.

"Devon! Are you okay?" she asked, moving towards him.

The boy nodded slowly, although his eyes were dark. His brown hair was mussed and there were still smudges of dirt on his face, but he looked at her and smiled faintly. "I think so. For now. That's Socks. He was my brother's Nano Double D. See? I can tell because he's glitched. His socks don't match. One's orange."

She looked. "So it is. But how...?"

"I dunno. I had his Nanocom with me, but it's broken." Devon sighed and patted the nano on the head. "It looks like he likes you."

"Devon, could Socks speak before?" she asked, staring down at the nano. He looked back up at her, an odd look in his eyes.

"Yeah, of course. He doesn't now?"

"No."

"Weird." Devon ran a hand through his hair and looked down. "You know, if he's glitched even more, like he can't talk, and can't go back into the Nanocom... I think you should take care of him."

"What?"

"Well, he obviously likes you, and...I owe you." The boy smiled sadly. "After...after my brother got injured, everything gets all blurry. Until I met you. Then, I mean, everything's still all blurry, but I could hear your voice really clearly. You pulled me back. So, thanks."

Kina blinked and held Socks a little tighter. Her brow creased, she struggled to find words, but Devon leaned on the doorframe and closed his eyes.

"I'm really tired," he whispered.

Wilt was at his side in a moment. "It's okay, I've got you," the Imaginary Friend said, supporting him as they walked back into the bedroom.

Kestrel stood beside Kina and watched them go, door closing behind them. She glanced at her friend. Kina's eyes were closed, her hands still cradling Socks, her posture ramrod straight. As Kes watched, her eyes snapped open and she walked towards the door.

"Where are they holding Kael?" she asked, opening the door.

"Probably in Double D's house," Kes answered, jogging along beside her. "Why?"

Kina had a dangerous look in her eyes. "We're going to pay him a visit."

* * *

"So what do you think?" Ben crossed his arms and leaned back against the wall, staring at his companions. Edd looked away, troubled, but Dexter spoke first.

"The scientific potential he represents is astronomical. Even just through interviews, he can help me gain insight into Fuse's situation and perhaps reveal the best method to defeat the monster," he said, eyes gleaming. He continued muttering under his breath, occasionally making small gestures with his hands. The other boys decided that it might be best to ignore him.

"I stand by my assertion that killing him doesn't feel right. Especially now that we know he has human emotions," Edd explained, rubbing the back of his neck. "It appears that he truly regrets what he has done. Perhaps we should forgive the sins of the past?"

"Forgive him?" Ben ran a hand through his hair. "No offense, Double D, but you weren't there. You didn't see the aftermath of that battle. I did, and I've got the one who made it happen in that room. What do you think I want to do?"

"Kill him, obviously," Edd returned. "I still think-"

"I watched the last of our men get killed! Alex Greymane was injured right before my eyes! Do you have any idea how...!" Ben growled and spun, punching the wall and leaving a mark in the plaster.

"Ah, I would appreciate it if you wouldn't deface my-"

"Rather it was your face?" Ben spat through gritted teeth, but, after a moment, sighed and relaxed slightly. "Whatever. Tal, what's your take?"

He was silent for a minute, thinking it over. Finally, he closed his eyes and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ben, but I think it'd be better if we kept him alive. He's or more use to us that way?"

"Explain." The three looked up as Dexter keyed back into their conversation. He nodded. "I believe I have a similar idea to yours."

"What if we used him as a spy? Kind of a double agent. Had him feed false information to the enemy while giving us what he can find out about Fuse?" Tal asked, leaning back against the wall. "I mean, he's pretty much asking for forgiveness, and he's not under Fuse's control anymore, so..."

"We might as well use him," Dexter finished, nodding again. "I am in favor of this plan."

"As am I," Edd agreed, then looked sheepishly at Ben. "Ah, and you?"

The boy looked away, anger still clear on his face, but he threw his hands up in the air and sighed. "I'd be outvoted anyway. Go ahead. Just keep him away from me."

"Keep who away from you?"

The boys looked up, meeting the confused gazes of Kestrel and Kina. Quickly, they explained Kael's confession and their decision to the girls.

"Well, that is..." Edd began, glancing at Ben out of the corner of his eye. Ben saw the look and grinned.

"Yeah, that's right. Kina, I think we should do whatever you want with him." The boy smiled and met her startled gaze. "So what do you want?"

Kina blinked and swallowed. "I... Right now, I want to talk to him," she stated.

* * *

Kael still sat at the table, eyes downcast. He heard a small noise at the door and looked up, eyes widening. Kina stood in the doorway, the small nano from before peeking up over her shoulder. She met his confused look with one of pity, but didn't move towards the chair across from him.

"Hello Kael," she began, leaning against the doorframe.

"H-hi," he managed, mouth suddenly dry. "I-is that a new nano?"

She glanced to the side, a faint smile on her face. "Yeah. His name is Socks." She slid her gaze back to Kael's face. "He used to belong to Alex Greymane."

Kael paled and quickly looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry," he whispered, closing his eyes.

"I'm sure you are," she responded, returning her gaze to the side of the room. "They told me about what you said. About your past and everything."

He looked up.

"Kael, you hurt me. Badly. You betrayed the trust I gave you. You betrayed everyone. I don't know if I can ever forgive you for that," Kina said, voice hard. But she closed her eyes and her lips curved into the tiniest of smiles. "At the same time... Even knowing all of that, I can't help what I feel. I can't help but still love you."

Without looking at him again, she turned and left the room. His mouth hung open in her wake. He swallowed, blinked, and looked back at the table, the faintest hint of a blush on his cheeks. The faintest hint of hope growing in his heart.

* * *

Kina walked out of the room and met everyone's gazes with a tight smile. "Go ahead and do whatever you want with him," she said. "Just don't kill him." With that, she left, Socks still trailing behind her.

The boys and Kes exchanged a glance. "So, who wants to tell him?"

"I nominate Tal." Edd inclined his head at the startled boy. "It seems fitting."

"Sure," he answered, and stepped back into the room. Kael glanced up sharply, fixing him with a distrusting gaze.

"What is it?" he asked, stiffening as Tal walked behind him. His eyes widened when he felt the bonds on his wrists release.

"We're letting you go on the condition that you work with us. You do whatever we ask of you," Tal explained, sitting in the chair across from him. "That is, if you agree. If you don't, Ben will kill you. He'd enjoy it, too."

"I'm sure. Yes, I'll do it," Kael said, closing his eyes, a light smile on his face. "Of course I'll do it."

"Good. You're free to go. Talk with the others, I'm sure they've got something for you to do already," Tal said, thinking immediately of Dexter.

"Wait."

He looked up at Kael, raising one eyebrow. "What?"

"Why didn't you kill me? I mean, you answered that, kind of, but... You hate me. You should have done me in when you got Kina back," he said, staring at his hands.

Tal shook his head. "Maybe. But... What I said was true. I owed you. Kina wouldn't have liked it. And in order to make up for what you've done, you have to live. But..." He trailed off, looking away.

"But what?"

He looked back, grinning. "Well, you're kind of a...kindred spirit, I guess. Supposed to fight for Fuse but deciding to work against him."

"What the heck are you talking about? Isn't your name Lightsworn?"

Tal laughed quietly. "Not much of a fusion, are you. Fusion Eduardo caught on almost immediately. Yeah, I'm Lightsworn now, but my father... He was Darkyn."

Kael's eyes widened as Tal grinned again and stood. "I guess that's why I really hated you, too," he added. "And, at the same time, didn't."

"Then..."

"I respect you now, Kael. And I admit it. If this didn't make Kina totally hate your guts, I haven't got a chance. So..." He stuck out a hand. "Friends?"

Kael hesitated for a moment before reaching out to grasp it. "Yeah. Friends."

* * *

Tal left the room, nodding to the others. "He agreed."

"Good. I will talk to him very soon," Dexter said, clapping his gloved hands together. "Until then, I have an idea. Perhaps we should move the base of command out to City Station. It will negate any information Kael leaked, provide a central base of command with transportation to other main hubs, and give us an easier point of defense."

"Agreed. Let's do it." Ben turned and walked out, followed closely by Dex and Edd. Tal shook his head and followed the three, thinking. He still had Kina's locket. He should probably give it back to her.

Kestrel stopped and looked back at the dining room as Kael exited. Her eyes narrowed and she turned to face him, hands on her hips.

He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head to the side. "Ah, can I help you?"

In a moment, she was in front of him, slamming him back against the wall. Even though she was half a head shorter than him, she still kept him there, pinned.

"You think you've got everyone fooled, don't you," she hissed, eyes filled with rage. "Well, you can't fool me. If you so much as _think_ of betraying us, or if you even _look_ at Kina the wrong way, I _will_ kill you. Don't doubt it."

Kael said nothing, pressing himself back against the wall. Kes's nostrils flared as she shoved him one last time before roughly dropping her hold on him and walking away.

Kael leaned back against the wall and let out a long breath. He rubbed his shoulder and looked after her, watching her until she left the house, slamming the door shut behind her. He tilted his head back against the wall, slid down it, and put his head in his hands.

* * *

A/N: THE END

...

...

...

...

...of this arc, that is. The next should begin on the 18th of December, when...well, you'll find out.


	39. November 1

A/N: I AM SO SORRY. I AM SO SORRY. Life has been very very busy for the past... few months, so Between kind of fell through the cracks. Good news, I plan on working on it again. Bad news, it's not going to be very often. A chapter here and there, not really continuing the story for a while. The Christmas Arc will return for July, I hope, since it's actually important to the overall plot. For now, it'll be random events in November. I hope you aren't too made with the long wait, but I hope you'll enjoy what I do have!

Disclaimer: FusionFall is not mine.

* * *

Tal glanced behind him as Kestrel caught up. Her eyes narrowed as she glanced over her shoulder at Edd's house and crossed her arms. "What's up?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.

She glared at him. "Whaddaya _think's_ up?" she growled.

"Um, I don't know. That's why I asked."

She stopped, fingers curling into claws around her elbows. "He's a traitor, Tal! And you all just accepted him back like nothing had happened! Did Kina even _tell_ you any of what happened to her down there? That fusion _tortured_ her, Tal, and Kael just stood there and _watched_!" Tears began to roll down her cheeks, even though her face was rigid with anger. "And you let him come back!"

Tal lifted one hand and, hesitating, placed it on her shoulder. She stared up at him, rage clear in her eyes, but he didn't move away.

"Kes," he said, looking away. "Kina's the one who didn't want him killed. Did you think about that?"

She couldn't stop herself. She shoved him away, turned, and ran. Her feet pounded against the asphalt, leading her away, towards the circle of the Cul-de-Sac. Her breath fogged the air in front of her, but her skin was on fire, fighting back against the cold that threatened to engulf her.

She didn't notice the pair as she bolted by them. Kina blinked and paused, hand raised in greeting as the warm words died on her tongue. Socks turned and stared after her, brows creased in concern. He glanced back at Kina as Tal appeared, running after Kestrel.

"Tal, wait," Kina said, getting his attention. He stopped, eyes locked on Kes's retreating figure.

"I think I really ticked her off this time..." he whispered. "She's angry because we didn't want Kael killed."

"I see." She closed her eyes and put a hand on Tal's shoulder. "Then there's not really anything we can do right now."

"What?"

"We probably aren't the people she wants to see right now, since she's mad at us."

Neither of them noticed that Socks had floated after the girl, hands closely grasping his elbows.

* * *

Kestrel sat against the cardboard wall, arms wrapped around her legs, hugging them close to her chest. She buried her face in her knees, trying in vain to stop the shattering tears that still streamed down her cheeks.

"Dang it. Dang it! I'm not this weak," she whispered, but the tears still didn't stop.

A tiny touch on her shoulder made her look up in alarm, spotting Socks hovering over her shoulder in a second.

"The heck are you doing here? Kina coming?" she asked, voice thick.

The nano shook his head.

* * *

"Then what do we do?" Tal asked, glancing at Kina, who shook her head.

"Nothing we can do. Just hope she'll be better in a little while."

"And you're okay with that?"

She turned and gave him a long look. His heart fluttered a little and he turned away, a look of sorrow flitting across his features.

"Sometimes, words won't help, Tal."

* * *

Socks floated a little closer and wiped a tear from her cheek. She gently pushed him away and wiped her tears herself, roughly.

He tilted his head to the side, moved closer again, and wrapped his arms around her arm.

* * *

"Sometimes, you just need someone who understands. Who'll hold you without having to know why."

* * *

Kes raised her eyebrows in surprise, but slowly relaxed and put her other hand on Socks's back.

"Thanks," she whispered.

Socks moved a little and her Nanocom flashed. In an instant, Nano Buttercup, Four-arms, and Numbuh Four appeared. Buttercup and Four-arms immediately joined Socks in hugging Kes, but Numbuh Four stayed back. Four-arms reached out and dragged him closer, pressing him against Kes until he hugged her, too.

Kestrel, although still a little shocked, lowered her head until her cheek touched the tops of her nanos' heads. She smiled slightly through her tears, enjoying how warm they felt against her, and closed her eyes.

After a few minutes, there was another flash of light. Her three nanos disappeared and Socks let go of her arm, moved back, and stared up at her.

Kes sniffed and wiped a hand under her eyes. "Thanks, she whispered again, standing.

Movement by one of the nearby houses caught their attention. Kina emerged from the shadows, hands raised. "Just me," she said before blinking. "Socks? Is that where you got to?"

"Yeah, he's been with me." Kestrel shoved her hands in her pockets and looked down to the side.

"Are you okay?" Kina asked, hand already positioned to comfort the girl.

Kes glanced up. "Hey, Kina, have you...? I mean, has anyone really thanked you yet, for everything you do?"

The older girl paused, eyes widening. "What?"

"It's just... You do a lot, for everybody, and sometimes it seems like...well, I..." Kes grimaced, tore her beanie off, and ran a hand through her hair. "Thanks, I mean. For everything. And... You've been comforting everyone, right? Like, with hugs and crud like that. But has anyone done that for you yet?"

Kina opened her mouth, stopped, blinked again. Socks tilted his head to the side, a faint smile on his face, as Kes stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the elder girl.

Kina took a short breath as Kes grasped her tighter. She lifted her hands and hugged the girl back, tears springing into her eyes.

"I don't do this very often. My hugs're rare, so don't go thinkin' I'll be throwin' these around from now on, 'kay?" Kes's voice was muffled, but she sounded sincere. "But if anyone deserves it, it's you, Kina, 'cause no one's really given you one for a while and I think you needed one."

"Thank you, Kestrel," Kina whispered. Kes gave her another squeeze before letting go, stepping back, and looking up. She grinned a little, held onto her bare arms, and shivered.

"Lookit that, it's starting to snow," she observed before sticking out her tongue to try to catch one of the gently drifting flakes.

Kina glanced upwards, staring at the dark expanse of sky and small white dots, and smiled. Socks floated over to her and sat on her shoulder, nearly falling off as he tried to catch a flake on his finger. Kina smiled faintly.

"So it is," she murmured. "So it is."

* * *

A/N: This chapter came from two drawings I did this week. One was a legit "where do I go from here" drawing, one was a vent. Together, you get this. Happy un-birthday!


	40. November 2

A/N: And we're back. I'm working on it, I promise. This is short, but... something is coming. Soon. I promise.

Disclaimer: I don't own FusionFall

* * *

_In which a few questions are asked..._

* * *

"What are you working on?" Kael asked, seated in the corner of Double D's garage.

Dexter paused and looked up from the vehicle in front of him. "I am modifying a hover car to be resistant to fusion matter, and possibly to run on it," he explained, wiping his hands on a dirty rag. "Your next question will be why you are here, correct?"

"Ah, yes, I guess it is."

The boy genius smiled. "I have some questions for you. Nothing too in depth, that part will come tomorrow. Just a few... diagnostics, if you will."

"Okay." Kael blinked and shrugged. "Shoot."

"Do fusion monsters eat?" Dex moved back to the car and opened the door, searching for the gas cap release.

Kael thought for a moment. "Well, they do consume things, although it's not really...eating. More like...assimilating."

"And do you eat?"

He blinked. "I can. I don't have to eat as much as humans, but...yeah, I eat."

"Do they sleep?"

"No." Kael looked at his hands. "No, monsters don't sleep."

"Why don't they come out at night, then?" Dexter asked, sparing his informant a glance.

"It's a little too cold. They get slowed down. Heck, even I slow down a bit."

"Intriguing." Dex tinkered with the car for a few minutes before asking his next question. "Do you sleep?"

"I do. Like with food, I don't need it as much, but I still do."

"And do you dream?"

He paused. "Why do you ask?"

"Scientific curiosity." Dexter sat down on a low cart and yawned.

Kael raised an eyebrow. "Do you sleep?"

"Occasionally. Your answer?"

He thought for a moment. "I... I don't dream, exactly. I...see Kael's memories, I think. From before."

Dex steepled his fingers. "Intriguing," he murmured, and yawned again. This time, Kael yawned in return. The two stayed in silence as Dexter rolled himself under the car and began to work once more.

Kael leaned back, let his head rest against his shoulder, and began to doze.


	41. Nightmares 1

A/N: Warning: Violence and probable confusion incoming.

I only own Kina, Tal, Kael, Kes Devon, Socks, and Nika, and even then in a 'they spawned from my brain into a copyrighted world' kind of way.

* * *

_Nightmares Part One: Shadows of the Past..._

_

* * *

_

Kina yawned and blinked, stretching. With lazy ease, she turned to look at her alarm clock. 9:00 on a Saturday morning. Not bad.

After a moment, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. With another huge yawn, she slid out from under the covers. It was good to be done with high school, to have been accepted to college, and to be entering the beautiful, everlasting days of summer.

She stood and stumbled over to her mirror, glanced into it, and frowned. The bump her cap had left in her hair was still there, despite the massive bed-head she was suffering from. _Oh well_, she thought, eyes sliding to regard the reflection of her gown and golden stole. It was nothing a shower wouldn't fix, and it wasn't like she had anything to do today.

She had made it to the bathroom before something struck her as being wrong. Very wrong. She stopped in the doorway, eyes going wide.

It was her bathroom. It had been her room. This morning... She had already lived it.

And then the memories came flooding back. Her trip into the future. Tal. Kestrel. Kael. Returning to the past only to find...

She turned and raced down the hall, flung Ellen's door open, and stopped, staring.

A soft movement on the bed drew her attention. "Kina? What're you... Why're you in my room?" Ellen asked, voice thick with sleep. She coughed and sat up, looking at her.

Wordlessly, Kina crossed the room and enveloped her sister in a hug. "You're okay," she whispered. "You're alright. You're here."

"Um, yeah. Are you okay? 'cause you're acting pretty strange... And I'm, um, sick, so you might want to, like, not be this close to me?" Ellen lightly pushed Kina away, eyes growing wide when she saw the tears on her cheeks. "Woah, are you okay? Seriously?"

"Fine. I'm fine. I'm just... Bad dream." She wiped her eyes. "You do sound sick."

"And today's really important!"

"Dexter's experiment, right?" Kina's heart dropped as her sister nodded. What should she do? In the dream, or parallel universe, or whatever it had been, she'd gone in her sister's place and her family had wound up dead. So what should she do this time around?

She pondered that for a moment before shaking her head. "I'll call DexLabs. He'll just have to... find a replacement. Or postpone the experiment," she mused, trailing off as she walked out the door.

Ellen stared after her sister, one eyebrow raised. "Graduation made her crazy," she muttered before lying down, rolling over, and going back to sleep.

"Hello, this is Akinas Brightstream. I need to speak to Dexter."

"Dexter is busy at the moment. How may I direct your call?"

Kina grit her teeth at the mechanical tone to the voice. "Okay, I guess this is a DexBot, right? But really, I need to speak to Dexter, it's an emergency."

"Dexter is busy at the moment. How may I direct your call?"

"To Dexter, you infernal device."

"Dexter is..."

"Alright, fine! Computress, then," Kina snapped, drumming her fingers against the table.

"Computress does not generally answer calls from the public..."

"It's an emergency. I have information about today's experiment that is absolutely vital. Now, please, connect me to Computress."

"Hello? The DexBot tells me you have become belligerent in asking to speak with me."

Kina sat up, finally hearing an automated voice she liked. "Yes, I'm sorry about that, but it's an emergency. I have information about today's experiment that Dexter needs to hear."

"I detect no hint of falsehood in your voice. I will connect you to him."

She blinked. Computress could do that? Her wonderment was short-lived, as the boy genius quickly answered the phone.

"Who is it? I am very busy right now, so make it quick." The odd Russian accent was in full force.

"Ah, hi. I'm Akinas Brightstream, Ellen's sister. She can't make it today."

Silence, then: "Is that all this was about?"

"No. You can't perform the time travel experiment. It'll go horribly wrong."

"Miss Brightstream, I am a genius. I have calibrated every part of this experiment to very exacting specifications. What makes you think that my experiment will fail?"

"Because...because it happened. The experiment happened already, only your sister pressed a button and we overshot your goal and wound up in this terrible future, where aliens had..."

"Miss Brightstream, do you understand how ridiculous you sound right now?" The boy's voice had gone soft and even, without a hint of amusement.

She winced. "Yes, I do, but please, trust me on this, you can't do this. They'll be stuck in the future, and... Your friend, Tal! He won't be here to fight...what did he call Fuse... The Destroyer!"

Dexter's voice went cold. "How did you know about that?"

"I told you, the experiment already happened. I don't know how, but I made it back here, maybe to stop it, I don't know. But you have to! You can't do this!"

There was a long silence. Finally, she heard the boy let out a breath. "Computress, call Tal to my lab. The experiment will proceed, as planned, without him and without the Brightstream girl."

"No! You have to stop all of it!" Kina cried into her phone.

Dexter's voice revealed the hint of a smile. "I am a genius, Miss Brightstream. You can't..."

"Argue with a genius, I know. Alright. Thank you, Dexter." She hung up the phone and sagged back against the couch cushions. So she hadn't stopped the experiment, but she'd at least gotten Tal to stay. That was good news, right?

Her phone rang a few hours later. She answered and, before she had the time to say hello, Dexter's voice issued from the speaker.

"I believe you. Come to DexLabs, we have much to discuss."

"It failed again, didn't it?"

"I expect you to be here in half an hour. Do not be late."

The genius hung up.

The next month passed in a whirlwind of interviews and preparations. The Kids Next Door were informed of the impending threat and were able to recall all operatives from Moonbase. Ben Tennyson was notified, along with the Plumbers. The two remaining Powerpuff Girls pledged to fight Fuse, among many, many others. The forces of Earth were ready.

And so the day came that the Terrafusers would rain down from the sky.

"Mom, dad, Ellen, trust me on this one, you have to get out of here," Kina said, standing in the kitchen, dressed in her borrowed Battle Ready Armor. "It's going to get really dangerous, really fast, so please, go to one of the safehouses."

"Oh, come now, dear, you actually believe that aliens are coming to Earth? You're more rational than that..." her father said with a smile. Kina glanced at her mother, who was studying her, wearing a look of concern.

"I'm not crazy. Yes, I do believe it. Please. If I'm wrong, what's the harm, right?" She shrugged. "And if I'm right, it could save your lives."

Her parents exchanged a glance. "Well, okay, if you feel so strongly about it, I supposed we can humor you."

Kina let out a relieved breath. "Thank you."

"I just don't understand why I can't come with you," Ellen huffed, crossing her arms.

Kina ruffled her hair. "It's going to be dangerous out there, that's why. I just want to protect my little sister, understand?"

"Okay, fine! Just stop the hair thing!" Ellen laughed, swatting her hand away. "Be careful."

"I will."

And she headed out to war.

"Numbuh Four! How does Mount Blackhead look?" Numbuh Five snapped into her communicator.

"We're lucky that kid Zak showed up, 'though 'is pets are kinda creepy. Holding out well thanks to 'em, so I guess they're alright."

"Good. Keep it up." Abby pressed a button and ended the communication. She spun and shot a Spawn with her Pop Gun before turning to her companion.

"Alright, thanks, Ben. Good job." Akinas Brightstream glanced up as she finished her call to Ben. "Numbuh Five. How do things look?"

"Jus' fine. Could do another sweep of Sector V, though," she responded.

Kina nodded. "I want to check on my house, see if what I thought would happen did."

"You been right so far."

She winced. "I don't want to be right about this one."

The two girls walked down the street, on the lookout for any evidence of Fuse's forces. So far, Kina's information had done wonders for the defenders.

"Numbuh Five's gonna go down this way and meet you one block over," Abby whispered.

"See something?"

"Maybe." She snuck down one direction, motioning for Kina to go the other way. She did so, looking around as she went. Yes, the information had done wonders. They were prepared for the invasion this time around. They already had weapons that would work. Sure, there would still be a lot of property damage, but the civilians had evacuated earlier in the day. As she walked, Tal was already on Planet Fusion, hunting down his destiny.

Kina rounded the corner, finding and out of breath Numbuh Five waiting for her. A hatless Numbuh Five.

"What happened?"

"Stupid...Spawn...jumped outta nowhere...took Numbuh Five's hat! I like that hat!" she growled between breaths.

Kina paled. "It's going to become a Fusion. What way did it go?"

Abby pointed, and the two took off down the street. A feeling of dread snuck into Kina's stomach. Her house was on the next street.

But her family had left.

She turned the corner and skidded to a halt. Numbuh Five barely avoided running into her and stopped, staring at her.

"Their car is in the driveway," Kina whispered before taking off at a run. She quickly surveyed the damage. A Terrafuser to the roof, she was expecting that. Spawns everywhere. She blasted a few with her rifle and burst through the door, immediately dashing into the living room.

Numbuh Five caught up with her a moment later and followed her stony gaze. Two bodies on the floor, both adults.

"Brightstream, I'm..."

Kina swallowed and turned, running for the stairs. Numbuh Five followed close behind.

Ellen's door was unlatched. Kina slapped it open, barrel of her rifle swinging up.

Fusion Numbuh Five grinned at her and shrugged, one hand holding Ellen face down on her bed. She squirmed and shouted, turned and saw Kina.

"Sis! Help! She's...!"

Kina started shooting. The fusion ducked the shots and lifted Ellen up, using her as a shield. "Ah ah, wouldn't want to hit your dear sister, would you?" the creature taunted.

"Let her go."

"I don't think so." The fusion grinned. "You're not the only one who remembers the future, you know. I do believe we met, and I told you how I killed her."

"Let her go!" Kina stepped forward, only to be stopped as Fusion Numbuh Five put her free hand against Ellen's back.

"How did it go again?" she asked, stroking the girl's spine. "Mind telling me?"

"Let her go!" Kina shrieked, launching herself at the fusion. The fusion dodged and kicked out, sending Kina sprawling against the wall, and held Ellen between Numbuh Five and herself.

"Wrong move, big sis." Her eyes glinting cruelly, she dug her fingers into Ellen's back. The girl let out a horrible scream, one that Kina echoed a split second later as Fusion Numbuh Five closed her hand and _pulled_.

Kina closed her eyes, agony tearing at her insides. The scream ripped itself from her lips, drowning out everything around her; Ellen's own dying cry, Numbuh Five's yells, the fusion's endless cackle...

Kina yawned and blinked, stretching. With lazy ease, she turned to look at her alarm clock. 9:00 on a Saturday morning. Not bad.

And then she sat bolt upright, hands clenching her blanket. Her eyes went wide and she ran to the bathroom, making it to the toilet just in time to empty her stomach.

A few minutes later, a soft knock came at the door. Kina sat up and flushed. "Um, yeah?"

A cough. "You okay, sis?"

She opened the door and immediately wrapped her arms around Ellen, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Yeah. Yeah. Just... just a really bad nightmare."

"Um, okay. I heard you... I can stay home with you if you want."

"What?" Kina stepped back for a second. "Is this... Dexter's experiment? That day? Today?"

Ellen looked at her quizzically. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

Kina put a hand to her forehead and sank to the floor. "I... It's..." She squeezed her eyes shut. "This time. This time I'll make it right."

* * *

_ In the darkness of the room, Kina groaned and rolled over, curling into the fetal position. She was drenched in sweat, her hands grasping the sheets as tight as they could. In the next bed over, Devon moaned, his covers twisted around his young body._

_ Wilt sat on the chair in the corner, head forward on his chest, deep in slumber. A look of pain flashed across his face as his fist clenched, then relaxed._

_ Socks hovered above Kina's bed, brows knit. He floated over to the window and pulled back the shade, letting a shaft of bright midday light into the room. He glanced over hopefully, but none of the occupants reacted._

_ Dismayed, the nano floated over to the door and managed to get it open. He exited the room and made his way into the room down the hall. Tal was sprawled on the floor, shirt half on, as though he'd fallen asleep while getting dressed._

_ Socks circled him for a moment before heading out the open window to the next house over. It was much the same. Double D's head was down on his desk, a pen still in his hand. Ben was draped over the couch cushions, asleep despite the Sumo Slammers episode playing on the TV. Even Dexter, who had set up shop in the garage, had fallen asleep with his head in some sort of vehicle. Kael lay on the floor near a chair in the corner, as though he'd fallen to the cement without waking up._

_ "Hello? Anyone awake it there?"_

_ Socks looked up and zoomed out of the house, nearly running into Kestrel as she walked around the Cul-de-Sac._

_ "Socks?" she said. "Where's Kina?"_

_ The nano circled her head rapidly, gesturing. She tried to make sense of his movements and was on the verge of yelling for him to slow down when he stopped, eyes going wide as he stared at something behind her._

_ "Wha-" Kes started to turn, but suddenly felt...tired. Her lids slipped closed as she crumpled, a shadowy figure catching her before she hit the ground._

_ Socks buzzed the shadow's head, but it swatted him away. "Don't worry, little creature, I am not the one that did this. I am merely a messenger."_

_

* * *

_

"A messenger?" Kes asked, turning around. It was blank. Just...blank. Nothingness. She was standing on a vast white nothingness, surrounded by a vast white nothingness.

She felt a presence behind her and spun, but saw nothing. "Who's there?" she snapped, hand falling to the holster at her waist, only to find that nothing was there.

"A messenger. You're compatriots are all affected by a nightmare, child. You were one of the only ones awake."

"So you put me to sleep?"

"In order to deliver my message."

Kes crossed her arms. "So deliver it already."

"Such a hasty child. Perhaps some sleep will do you good..." The presence shifted until it was in front of her, although she could still see nothing. "Listen well, for I will only say this once. A change is coming. A dangerous one. More dangerous than the foe you face. Be prepared." The voice stopped.

Kes waited for a moment before blinking. "Wait, what? Something... Hey! Come back! Tell me more!" she shouted, but there was nothing there. The presence had left.

She sat with a huff and glanced around again. "Well," she muttered. "This is definitely the plane of suck."

* * *

_ The shadow turned away from the sleeping girl and looked around. "Now, where is the next one?" it muttered. "The others are all asleep already... Then... Ah, there. I will finish soon."_

_ It disappeared._

_ Socks stared at the empty space for a moment before drifting down to Kes's sleeping form. She looked...peaceful, at least, not like the others. The little nano bit his lip and floated away, back to Kina's room, and settled down next to her, tiny hand grasping her fingers. She let out a whimper._

_ "D...damn it," she whispered. "This...this time for sure..."_

_

* * *

_

"You've made much progress, young one," the elder said, inspecting Tal with a hawk-like gaze. "You are strong in sword arm and in mind. You are ready for The Devourer's arrival." With that, the dark-robed man swept out of the room, leaving Tal alone with his father.

He let out a sigh of relief, looking to his father for approval. The man nodded. "Well done, my boy. All that remains are the vows."

"Yes, sir," he responded, bowing. "I'm ready."

"Let's start, then." He closed his eyes and took a breath, turned to the painting, and inclined his head. "Place your hands on the sword hilt. Kneel before it. Keep your eyes locked on The Devourer, but closed."

Tal did as he was told, thinking that his father was slightly crazy to still sit on all this ceremony. Silence fell on the hall, broken only by the crackling of torch-flames.

"Tal Darkyn. Do you swear that, on the day The Devourer comes, you will take up your sword and fight?"

"I do."

"Tal Darkyn. Do you swear that you will protect the Chosen with all you might?"

Behind his closed lids, a picture of his mother flashed. And he recalled the look of sorrow she had given him that morning, and hesitated. But why? "I do."

"Tal Darkyn. Do you swear that you will smite the enemies of The Devourer and clear the way for His coming?"

Tal paused, the image of his mother still stuck in his mind. He shook his head. "I do."

"Then let me be the first to fully welcome you to the family, young Tal. I name you Tal Darkyn, Sword of Destruction. May you never falter in your duty to The Devourer."

"His will be done," Tal intoned, and the ceremony was finished. His father clapped him on the back and led him out of the room, presented him before the family, and signaled the start of the celebration.

At some point during the night, Tal realized that his mother wasn't there. He left the revelry behind and wandered the empty halls, searching. Finding nothing, he decided to check his own room.

On his pillow lay a note, written in his mother's flowing script.

_I'm sorry_, it read. _I tried my best, and still, you were taken from me. There is nothing left for me here. Good bye, my light. May we never meet again_.

Tal sank to his knees, rereading the note. Never meet again? Did his mother...hate him for some reason? For the pledge he'd taken?

A steely look entered his eyes as he crumpled the note, grimacing. She didn't matter. He knew his destiny.

And come his destiny did. On his fifteenth birthday, Tal dressed himself in his best armor and fastened his sword to his side. He waited quietly in the garden for The Devourer's messenger to arrive, waited for orders.

A green ball smashed down from the heavens, startling him. His hand fell to the hilt of his sword, but he stopped, eyeing the creature that emerged. It looked like a blob, with red eyes and a mouth, totally green. He let go of his sword and bowed deeply. "Welcome, messenger."

The blob seemed to nod. "I am Tharaxxin. Place your hand upon me and you will know your orders."

Tal did as he was asked and listened. The voice he heard sent shivers up his spine, forcing him to recall the discomfort he'd felt around the picture when he was younger. But he slowly began to grin. He removed his hand and bowed again before turning and walking back to the house.

"Sword of Destruction, wait. We have begun the assault on the target city. You may access it through the portal in my ship," Tharaxxin called.

Tal turned, inclined his head to the Spawn, and entered the ship.

He exited into battle. Fusions fought with men all around him, changing form as they did so. Even children were caught up in the fight, wielding odd weapons made of wood and bubblegum. He smiled and ignored them, setting his sights on the most important target.

DexLabs.

He had no trouble getting in. The lab was functioning as a refuge. All he'd had to do was prove that he was human and the doors had slid open. From there, it was a simple matter of getting into the more restricted areas, an easy task for one armed with a mystical blade capable of slicing through steel. Alarms began to blare, but he paid them no mind. His goal was ahead of him. It didn't matter if he was warned.

Tal cut through the final door and entered the main lab complex. Sword at the ready, he stepped forward.

"That's far enough," a boyish voice called, tinted with a slight Russian accent. Tal slid his eyes to the right and found himself staring down the barrel of a modified Null-Void gun. He smiled.

"Dexter, I presume?"

"Of course. What are you doing in my laboratory?" the red-head asked, gaze locked on the interloper.

Tal smiled. "I am here to...help," he said, letting his sword arm fall.

Dexter was unconvinced. "If that was the truth, you wouldn't have sliced through my defenses. You would have destroyed some of the monsters outside. You would have helped the people out there. I will ask you one more time. What are you doing in my laboratory?"

He sighed and shook his head. Faster than Dexter could react, he stepped to the side and spun, stopping his sword just short of the boy's neck. For a moment, no one moved. Then, Dexter's hand opened, letting the gun fall to the ground.

"And disable the weapons I'm sure are built into the room," Tall ordered, eyeing the walls.

Dexter grit his teeth. "Computress, stand down within Lab One," he commanded. A soft beep rang out and the alarms stopped blaring.

"Good. Now, you have two choices. Send all of the information in this lab to my master, or your head rolls."

"I'm the only one who can access it. You can't kill me, no matter what," the boy genius muttered.

Tal shook his head. "My master can do many things. With time, he will tease what he wants from this place. I am being generous in giving you this choice. Why don't you take it?"

"Even if your master is a genius, it will take him a long time to crack these codes. Long enough to give Earth a chance to fight back. Long enough to destroy him," Dexter spat.

"A shame, then." He sighed. "You've made your choice, I suppose? No going back?"

"Kill me. It won't do you any good."

He smiled. "No going back, then." He stepped forward and, quick as a viper, moved the sword to point at Dexter's heart. "Did you give any thought, though, to how long they'll last without you?"

Dexter's eyes went wide. In the next instant, Tal Darkyn pierced him through.

And Tal Lightsworn screamed in the dark recesses of his mind, a captive observer, unable to move his own body, only able to watch as his friend died by his hand.

Tal Darkyn smiled. "Who's next on the list?" he wondered. He cleaned off his blade, stood, and left, humming a tuneless song to himself.

* * *

Kestrel sighed and leaned back against the nothingness, bored out of her mind.

"So..." she said to no one in particular. "How 'bout them Red Sox?"

After no one responded, she closed her eyes. "I wonder if you can fall asleep in a dream," she mused and decided to try it.

Since her eyes were closed, she missed the soft hints of sickly green invading the whiteness.

* * *

Kael was used to this by now. He was ready for the odd inability to move and decided to simply sit back and watch, to find out what new memory his body had in store for him. So far, he'd seen a few birthdays, sat through many days of school, broken his arm while skateboarding, and spent some time at a beach. He wondered what he'd see this night.

His view shifted upwards, to see the odd green shape in the sky. Kael reacted as if struck, his metaphysical body jolting. This was... It was Planet Fusion. His body was looking at Planet Fusion.

The view shifted again, to focus on the two humans he recognized as his body's parents. They gestured for him to run, to keep up with the group, and his body jolted into motion. Something was chasing them, Kael realized, a hint of dread creeping into his heart.

It didn't take long for the fusion monsters to catch up and capture the group. They were dragged to a kind of Terrafuser Kael had never seen before, one capable of transporting them to Planet Fusion itself.

They were thrown in a dark, dank cell. Some of them fought, crying out, trying to break the fusion matter slicked bars. Those were the ones taken first.

His father disappeared a few days in, his mother soon after. Kael the observer watched in horror as Kael the human began to waste away, curled up in one corner of the cell. He'd fought at first, too, his thoughts filled with hopes of busting out, of being the hero, but after people began to disappear, he'd mellowed, hoping only for rescue. Now, one of five left in the cell, he'd all but given up.

One of four.

One of three.

One of two.

The cell was silent as two Fusions appeared on the final day. The other boy was taken away. Kael didn't react.

At some point during the night, he gave up entirely. He slid to the floor, body exhausted from lack of water and food, and died.

The dream didn't end for Kael. He was locked in the corpse when the guards came back the next day. He heard Fuse order them to bring him, felt the rough straps as the secured him to the table. He saw the Fusion Spawn waiting by Fuse's side and felt sick. It was _him_. He'd been that disgusting little thing, incapable of true thought, but excited at the prospect of being useful to Fuse.

The two beings were merged, and Kael expected the dream to end.

But it didn't. He remained locked in place as his former, obedient self was given his orders and began to follow them, no matter how much Kael screamed for him to stop.

* * *

_ The shadow crossed its arms, obviously dismayed. Its final target had fallen into the nightmare a scant few seconds before it had arrived. Although, now that it got a closer look, the skin was far greener than he'd been expecting. Shrugging, the shadow removed something from its neck and disappeared._

_

* * *

_

"I'm human," Nika Darkstream whispered. "I'm... I'm entirely human. What is this?"

But it was true. Her skin was soft and pink, her eyes a brilliant green instead of harsh red, her hair still green, but fully human hair. She slowly began to smile, threw back her head, and let out a peal of laughter. Not a cackle, a true, wonderful sound. She wiped a hand across her face as something wet appeared. Tears, she realized, and began to laugh even more.

And the best part was that she couldn't hear Fuse at all, not even the annoying drone he had been after she became Darkstream, just silence.

A silence that was not long lived.

"Nika Darkstream, you are human."

She looked up, facing her lord. Somehow, this struck her as funny, and she began to laugh again. "Yes, yes, I'm human! You don't own me anymore!"

Fuse looked amused. Her laughter faltered, petering out a moment later as he grinned. "No, but I will. You do remember that Kael is partially human, but still mine, do you not?"

"I... No! He's free. Freer than I am," she whispered, but Fuse shook his head.

"A ruse to flush out the true traitor. You, Darkstream. I will not allow this." He gestured and several Fusions appeared from the shadows to hold her still.

"What are you doing?" she asked, although she had an idea.

Fuse held up a Spawn, one she recognized. It was what she'd looked like before she'd become Fusion Numbuh Five. The very same.

"No," she whispered. "No!"

"Yes, minion. You will be mine once more," Fuse said, and moved towards her as she screamed.

* * *

Kestrel opened her eyes to find the nothingness filled with ill-looking green light. Slowly, forms solidified. She blinked her vision clear, focusing on the landscape around her. That's all it was. A landscape, completely wild, completely green. Although...

She squinted. She was at the top of a hill, staring down at a vast swamp. Figures battled below her. Many didn't seem quite human. Some even appeared to be rotting undead zombies.

Unperturbed, Kes stood up and turned around, hands on her hips. "What is this, some dream within a dream crud? Come on, I don't dream like this."

She blinked and fell to her knees, suddenly dizzy. Two vast figures appeared before her, shrinking down into tall female forms. She tried to focus on their faces, blinked again, managed to see pointed ears and closed eyes on one of them before they slid out again.

"What... What's going on?" she managed, fighting an odd sense of vertigo.

One of the women knelt and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Where are you from, child?"

Kestrel blinked. "Um... Candy Cove."

The women exchanged a look. "That is not... heard of it, have you?"

The other shook her head. "I believe...from another world entirely."

Kes blinked and shook her head, disoriented. "I'm... I'm havin' trouble hearing you. What'd you say?"

"Tell...child, were...sleeping in your world?" the one with her eyes closed asked.

"Ah... I was asleep, but everyone else fell asleep first. I couldn't wake them up. It's been, like, a day," she answered, closing her eyes. She felt a hand on her shoulder and peered up through slotted lids. The other woman was giving her a soft, motherly look, one that almost made her feel better.

"The...spilling into other worlds."

"A disturbing development."

"Can...close it off?"

"I believe...can."

The one with her hand on Kes's shoulder leaned in close. "Close your eyes, child, and calm yourself. A problem from our world has bled into yours. We will send you back, repair the damage, and close our worlds off from one another. All we need is for you to think of where you came from," she explained.

Kes smiled. "Funny. I understand you fine now. Wonder why?" But now the other woman had placed her hand on Kes's other shoulder and she felt blissfully drowsy, at peace. She closed her eyes. "Home, huh? Well, there's the Cul-de-Sac, all surrounded by cardboard. Never did ask Double D why he did that. And Sector V and the Treehouse. And City Station. And my friends, they're there, and..."

The feeling dropped away, taking the vertigo and disorientation with it. Kes's eyes snapped open. She was standing in the middle of the Cul-de-Sac as the sun rose. She blinked and looked at her hands. In each, she bore a sort of flattish circular object, light, but tough, one red, the other green. After a moment, she shrugged and shoved them in her pockets.

Around her, the world was waking up.

* * *

A/N: Okay. So. I'll explain everything at the end of the next chapter. Suffice to say that something from another world gave them all nightmares. Simple enough.


	42. Nightmares 2

Disclaimer: I only own Tal, Kina, Kes, Kael, and Nika. Barely.

_

* * *

Echoes of the Future..._

_

* * *

_

Kina sat up in bed, eyes wide. She stared around the room, confused. It wasn't her room. Socks stared down at her, a smile spreading across his face when she looked at him. She let out her breath, patted him on the hat, and he flew away, down the hall.

In the next bed over, Devon opened his eyes and turned over, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Alex," he breathed, and began to cry.

Wilt was there in a second, hand on the boy's shoulder. He blinked, shook his head, and began to murmur to the boy, trying to calm him down.

Kina went into the bathroom and stared at her reflection in the mirror. _What a night_, she thought, leaning over to splash her face with a little water. She glanced back up, still dripping. _What a nightmare_.

After toweling off and changing into clean clothes, she left, running into Tal. He swallowed, blinked, and embraced her.

After a second, she hugged him back, unsure of why he'd greeted her that way.

He finally relaxed and stepped back slightly, blushing. "Sorry," he said. "Bad dream."

"You too?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Not something I want to talk about, or _think_ about, ever again."

She looked away. "Same here."

The two walked outside, looking around. Sleepy-eyed people stepped out of the other houses, all looking somewhat nervous in one way or another. After a few seconds, they let out a collective breath and began to resume their normal lives.

Dexter, Edd, Ben, Kes, and Kael waited near the center of the Cul-de-Sac. Tal and Kina headed over, glad to see them.

Dexter nodded as they approached. "Nightmares?" he asked. He did not look surprised when they nodded.

Double D shuddered. "Horrible. Absolutely horrendous. Not an experience I would like to repeat."

"Did it have anything to do with Fuse?" Tal asked, crossing his arms.

Kes shook her head and opened her mouth to speak, but Ben cut her off. "That's what I'd like to know. Kael?"

He shrugged. "I hadn't heard anything about it, but I'll contact Darkstream to see if she knew." He turned and walked away, presumably to do just that.

Kes put her hands on her hips. "It wasn't-"

"Has anyone noted the date?" Dex asked.

"Um-"

Double D nodded. "It's been two days since I fell asleep."

"Hey guys-"

"Funny how we weren't attacked," Ben muttered.

"It wasn't Fuse!" Kes shouted. Everyone turned to look at her, startled. She shrugged. "Well, it wasn't."

"How do you know?" Tal asked.

She sighed. "I was awake for longer than everybody, dunno why. But a bunch of the monsters seemed to sleep, too, or at least go... I dunno, stupid. Like they didn't know what to do, so they just stood there. And I didn't have a nightmare."

"Oh?" Dex adjusted his glasses, trying not to appear too interested in what she had to say.

She nodded. "Yeah. I mean, it was like a dream, but I felt like I was in this...other world. And there were two people who told me that a problem in their world had slipped into ours, or something." She dug around in her pockets for a second and pulled out the two flat objects. "When I woke up, I was standing in the place I'd fallen asleep, with these two things in my hands."

"How peculiar," Edd mused, picking one up. "It's quite light, but how could you have dreamed them into reality?"

"Unless you actually visited another world..." Dexter muttered, pondering the thought.

At that moment, Kael came back. He shook his head. "It wasn't Fuse. From what Darkstream says, she fell asleep, something that's not supposed to happen." He paused. "Fuse also fell asleep. None of the monsters were active the entire time we were out."

Kes looked smug. "Toldja," she said, smirking.

"Interesting," Dex whispered. "I wonder..."

And he walked away, back into the garage.

The remaining five glanced at one another and shrugged. Tal headed after Dexter, walking quickly, wishing to discuss something with him. Ben went over to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. pilot, intending to secure passage back to the Treehouse. Kina went back inside to check on Devon. Kes and Double D began discussing what she had seen, walking towards the back of the Cul-de-Sac, leaving Kael behind, awkwardly alone.

* * *

Nika Darkstream scowled at her communicator, perturbed. The humans had been asleep. It would have been the perfect time to attack had Fuse been awake!

She spat. Imagine, her all powerful leader simply falling asleep at such a critical time. Absolutely ridiculous.

Something in the corner caught her eye. She leaned over and picked it up, examining it. It was a medallion, seeming made of gears with stylized letters on the front. She raised on eyebrow, wondering how it had gotten there, and put it on. It hung heavily around her neck, although it made her feel...powerful. Wonderfully so.

She retreated to the dark recesses of her lair, no less angry, but certainly more satisfied.

* * *

_"Were you successful?" the cloaked figure asked, fingering his staff._

_ The shadow shrugged. "I was able to warn one of the targets, but the others were already affected by some form of sleeping power. I couldn't get to them."_

_ The figure sighed. "I suppose I was overstepping my bounds as it was. You are free to go."_

_ "Finally," muttered the shadow as it disappeared._

_ "A disagreeable fellow," a second figure observed, stepping away from the corner of the room._

_ The cloaked figure turned towards a floating gear and gestured towards it with his staff. A soft green glow appeared, and, looking into it, he shook his head._

_ "I cannot meddle any further. My masters," he said sarcastically, "will not allow it."_

_ "You gave it the old college try, old friend..." The second figure squinted. "...young friend, I mean."_

_ The first figure shook his head. "I cannot tell which path the future will take. I can only hope it works in our favor, from our meddling."_

_ The second figure stepped forward and smiled. "Only time will tell," Paradox said, and disappeared._

_ The remaining figure frowned and stroked the top of his staff. "That's my line," he muttered, and turned back to the gear._

_

* * *

_

Fuse sat on his throne, eyes filled with fire. He let out a bellow that brought one of his many minions scampering to his aid.

"Bring me Nika Darkstream and Ambassador Tharaxxin," he commanded. "I would have words with them about this... Tal Lightsworn." He said the name with hatred, eyes flaring brighter, but his hand tightened on the arm of his throne.

Lord Fuse had had a nightmare of his own.

* * *

A/N: Well, there you have it. Sorry that took so long; I just started working at a lab (yes, I'm pretty much a mad scientist now) and it's somewhat stressful. Quite stressful. I work with scary-strong acids on a daily basis.

Enough of that, though. What just happened in Between, you ask? A serious bout of preparation for the future, that's what. These chapters tie in to the near future, and in to the far future, in a way.

In these chapters, three worlds mixed in both small and large ways. The 'shadow' represented one world, one that I will not reveal until a later date. If you can guess it, kudos. The second was, obviously, the Cartoon Network Universe. The third was Azeroth, from the World of Warcraft. I borrowed the events of a chapter of the Legends manga and the novel Stormrage. Basically, in the World of Warcraft, there is the physical world and the Emerald Dream. The Emerald Dream represents the world as it would have been with no interference from the gods or living peoples and is made up of the dreams of the peoples of Azeroth. The Dream became corrupted, causing many to fall asleep and become trapped in terrible nightmares. I highly recommend checking WoW out if you like MMORPGs and are old enough.

In Between, the Emerald Dream somehow leaked into the Cartoon Network Universe and affected our heroes in the same way.

We'll go back to the semi-random updates for a while. I feel bad for not updating regularly, but I am busy. I'll update no matter what, but a little encouragement is nice. Reviews are MUCH appreciated. Remember, Christmas in July is coming, as well!


	43. November 3

Disclaimer: I don't own FusionFall.

* * *

Chapter 43: In Which November Ends

* * *

Numbuh Five sighed heavily as she walked down the corridor, listening. From somewhere nearby, she could hear howling, crying babies and a very familiar voice shouting as loud as possible. Shaking her head and muttering under her breath, she flung a nearby door open and put her hands on her hips.

All noise in the room stopped as Numbuh Four turned to stare at her. He grinned sheepishly and gently set the baby he'd been holding back into its crib before backing away. "Um, hi, Numbuh Five," he said. "Is anything wrong?"

"Yeah, somethin's wrong. Who the heck let you have baby duty again? Numbuh Five _told _them..." she growled.

Wally sighed and stuffed his hands in his sweatshirt pocket. "Well, someone had to do it, and Numbuh Three was busy dealing with some of the 'tots. 'sides, I've started getting along with Joey, haven' I?"

"Yeah, I s'pose you have, but you're still not allowed in here after what happened las' time," Abby responded with a little grin.

"Aw, come on! That wasn't even my fault!" Wally cried. Numbuh Five just rolled her eyes and escorted him out of the room.

"An' stay out!" she shouted, which, of course, set the babies to crying once again. She groaned, turned, and picked up the baby Numbuh Four had been holding.

"_Hush my baby, don't cry a peep._

"_The moon's in the sky, let's count the sheep._

"_One, two, three, four, I say hush, shush, shh, snore, don't even cry or laugh or roar_.

"_One, two, three, four, hush, shush, shh, snore, don't wake up 'til it's morn_."

Numbuh Five finished her song and looked around, relieved to see that all of the babies had fallen asleep. She gently set the boy in her arms down, turned out the light, and left the room, leaning heavily against the wall.

"You've got a wonderful voice."

Abby looked up in alarm. Standing in front of her was Kina Brightstream, hands held up and a sheepish smile on her face. "Sorry about that," the girl said."Didn't mean to startle you."

"Naw, that's okay. What're you doing here, anyway? Aren't you guys s'posed to be movin' to City Station?"

"Yeah, we're here picking up a few things. Numbuh Two's piloting a special S.C.A.M.P.E.R. to carry everything. I thought I'd come and see these kids one last time." Kina tilted back her head and crossed her arms. "I wondered what would happen after I left. I'm glad you're here for them."

"Who, me?"

"Yeah. Like I said, you've got a wonderful voice, and you seem to know some good lullabies."

"Naw, that was just somethin' my sister taught me a while ago. It's nothin' special..." Abby trailed off, looking at the floor.

"Speaking of Cree, how is she? The last time I saw her was graduation. I thought she'd be out here fighting, too."

Abby glanced to the side. "How d'you know her?" she asked, crossing her arms.

Kina tilted her head to the side, a little perturbed by the younger girl's suddenly guarded attitude. "Well, we've been in the same class since middle school. We aren't exactly close, but we're friendly. Why?

"Jus' wonderin'" was the sullen response.

"O...kay, then." Kina leaned against the opposite wall and crossed her arms. "We sat together a few times at lunch. I mean, she's part of the anti-kid group, right? I'm not into that, but she seemed nice anyway. Talked a lot about you, actually, when she wasn't surrounded by her other friends."

"Yeah? What'd she say?"

"Ah, the usual complaining. Mostly about how annoying you Kids Next Door were. But then she'd kind of pause and mention that she was really proud of you, that you were following in her footsteps, that kind of stuff."

Abby paused and fixed Kina with a glare. "And how do I know you ain't lyin', teenager?" she asked, grinding her teeth.

Kina just closed her eyes. "'cause I'm not," was all she said. "I think you know that."

"Numbuh Five's not gonna let you just traipse in and think you know everything, got it? You're not all that, okay?" The usually calm girl balled her hands into fists, pushed off of the wall, and started to stalk away.

Kina reached out and grabbed her on the shoulder. She turned, aiming a kick for the older girl's leg. Kina winced as the blow fell, but didn't loosen her grip. "Numbuh Five?" she asked, voice quiet. "What happened to Cree?"

"Let go'a me!" Abby squirmed, lashing out at Kina, who just managed to hold on.

"What happened?"

"Let go!"

"Abby!"

"No!" The younger girl finally broke free and ran down the hall, turning her back on Kina. She waited until she'd turned the corner before drawing an angry hand across her eyes, stemming the tears that had welled up from somewhere far below.

Back in the hall, Kina stood, silent, hand still raised at Numbuh Five's shoulder height. Slowly, she let her arm drop and sighed. "That...didn't go well," she murmured.

"Understatement o' the century, if ya ask me."

Kina glanced over her shoulder. Numbuh Four stood behind her, hands shoved in the pocket of his orange sweatshirt. He gave her a little smile and shook his head.

"You might say that," she responded, turning to face him. "What happened?"

"Numbuh Five, she's always been kinda close to her sister, you know? Even when we were fightin' her. Some big thing about bein' nice to your sister, or somethin' like that." He shook his head. "'course she'd be a little messed up after what happened."

"Right. What happened?"

"I dunno if I can tell you that," he answered warily. "I mean, you are a teen an' all that."

"Numbuh Four, I want to know what happened to Cree. If you think I'm going to chase after Abby and force her to deal with me, you're wrong. I know Cree. I'm worried about her. So, please, just tell me what happened."

Wally gave her a long look and shrugged. "Suit yourself. Jus' don't let Numbuh Five know it was me that told ya, right? Right after the Invasion, she and a buncha other teens went t'see if they could get in contact with Moonbase. They know all the best and craziest ways t'get in, I guess. But then they got caught by some fusion monsters 'bout halfway there. I hear Cree told her friends to get back to earth while she held 'em off. They came back. She didn't. Lost contact with 'er, too."

"I see... Have they found...?"

Wally shook his head. "Haven't found nothin' yet. Numbuh Five says there's no way she's...gone, y'know? Not many people still holdin' on to hope, though..."

"Okay. Thank you, Numbuh Four." Kina turned and started down the hall, the direction Abby had gone.

"Wait, where're you going?"

She paused and glanced back at him, an odd glimmer in her eyes. "Everyone lies, Numbuh Four. Even me," she whispered, and disappeared around the corner.

Wally thought about what she'd said for a moment before slapping his hand to his forehead. "Ah, crud! She's gonna go talk to 'er! And I'll get the blame!"

The babies inside the room began to cry again, which did nothing for his mood.

* * *

"So, tell me again why we had to carry everything to the Rail Bus instead of having Numbuh Two fly us here like we planned?" Kestrel asked, giving her hoverboard a kick. She frowned as it floated a few feet and stopped. Boxes were piled on her precious transport, taking the place that was rightfully hers.

"I managed to get Numbuhs Two and Five angry with me." Kina sighed, shifting her own load of boxes in her arms. "It's not like it hasn't happened before... I don't think Abby likes me very much."

"Yeah, okay, but Numbuh Two? What exactly did you say?"

"...I may have insinuated that their siblings weren't coming back from Moonbase. That no one was coming back from Moonbase, really."

Kes raised an eyebrow. "Not exactly the smartest thing you could've done."

Kina rolled her eyes. "Sometimes, people need to hear a bit of the truth."

"And that's one reason why the Kids Next Door exist," Kes muttered.

Kina shot her a glance. "What do you mean?"

The younger girl sighed and shrugged. "Well, think about it for a sec. Looking at things realistically, sure, they might not come back. That's the adult view. But we're kids. We like to look on the bright side. Hope and stuff, you know? So when some dumb teenager- sorry, you're not dumb, but... Well, you get it, right?"

Kina sighed and looked away. "Better to give up and be surprised than to be disappointed."

Kestrel put her hands on her hips. "Okay, let's try this. What would you have done if Tal and I had told you your sister was probably dead when we came back to the past?"

"Gotten angry. Refused to believe you. So...pretty much what they did, then."

"Get it?"

"Got it." Kina paused and looked at her companion. "Kestrel, when did you get so..."

The girl shot her a look, brows knit. "So what?"

"So...well, not grown up, exactly, but...so perceptive?"

"I always have been, I just don't show it much." She gave the hoverboard another kick. "So where's your little buddy Socks, huh?"

"I haven't seen him in a while, not since Dexter and Kael left."

"Huh."

"I might go visit DexLabs tomorrow. Want to come?"

Kestrel glanced over her shoulder with a little grin. "Need me for moral support? Comic relief? Perhaps to make sure Kael stays on the straight and narrow?"

At that moment, the box Kina was holding gave way, spilling its contents all over the hall. Kina groaned and threw her head back. "Why is it always me?" she asked, closing her eyes.

Kes shrugged. "'cause you're the main character. The main character _always_ gets beat on. It's like a rule or something."

"What?"

"Never mind."

* * *

Deep in the basement of City Station, a crack appeared in the Fourth Wall. It widened, glowing softly, as a figure stepped through.

The girl glanced around and grinned. "Awesome," she whispered, before wandering away to find the stairs.

* * *

A/N: Next arc is the long-put off Christmas arc. I'm going to be doing something... different... in it. Look for it soon!


	44. Holiday 1

A/N: Ah, here it is, the long awaited holiday arc arrives at last. It's not the same opening as before in the least. This arc will have a mix of seriousness, humor, and perhaps a few...questionable activities thrown in as well. I do hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own FusionFall.

* * *

Chapter 44: In Which it's Really Freaking Cold Outside

* * *

"Dexter?" Kina asked, knocking lightly on the lab door. It slid open, revealing the boy genius at work. He hunched over a microscope and stared into the eyepiece, taking notes on a paper to the side.

Kina blinked and walked in, seating herself at an unoccupied table. After a few minutes, Dexter looked up.

"Ah, Miss... Akinas. Excellent. Please do not cross the yellow line, I am about to start working with some dangerous acids," he explained, indicating a painted line across the lab floor.

"What are you doing?"

The boy pulled on a pair of gloves and adjusted his goggles before answering. "The entanglement theory has proven quite difficult to put into practice for teleportation. I am looking into using light as the transporter instead." He slid his arms into a yellow smock, put on another pair of gloves, and grabbed a face mask.

"Do I even want to know what you're about to work with?" Kina asked, inching back on the table.

Dexter laughed. "Not really. Suffice to say that it can be quite nasty, and that I am overprotecting myself right now." He set up a few bottles in a nearby fume hood and got to work. Kina grimaced and decided to remain silent until he was finished.

She glanced around the lab. It wasn't exactly large, unlike some of the other rooms at DexLabs, and was cluttered with tables, rolling chairs, and several fume hoods in alcoves. Shelves bearing test tubes and large bottles lined the walls, all carefully labeled and organized in alphabetical order.

"I am surprised Computress even let you in here," Dex stated, voice muffled by his mask.

Kina looked over at him. "She didn't really want to, but I think she didn't want you in here alone, either."

"She worries too much." Dexter deftly turned the knob for the in-hood sink and slid his gloved hands under the stream of water. "I've already finished."

"What did you do?"

He shook his hands, sending droplets all over the hood, and turned off the tap before sliding the hood back down. "Simply set up a hydrochloric acid etch to strip the iron from some sediment."

"Why?"

Dexter slowly removed his mask, gloves, and smock. He slid his goggles up onto his forehead and fixed her with a piercing gaze. "You didn't come here to talk about my latest experiments, did you?"

She blinked, paused, and sighed, shaking her head. "No. No, I didn't." She stopped again and returned his gaze. "Or, maybe I did. That all depends on what you've been doing."

Dexter crossed his arms. "Let's discuss this in a slightly less dangerous location."

"Afraid I'm going to throw acid at you?"

He smiled. "Perhaps."

* * *

Dexter poured a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. Kina leaned against the wall, watching as he added milk and sugar to his drink.

"Are you going to sit? This is the lounge, you know. You're welcome to relax," he said, raising an eyebrow.

She sighed and sat on the couch. "Funny, I'd have thought you'd take your coffee black."

"I usually do." He took a sip of the steaming brew and smiled. "An excellent drink for early December, I believe."

"Where's Kael?" Kina asked, completely out of the blue. Dex set down his drink and steepled his fingers.

"No chance of more small talk today, I wager. He was here for a few days, yes."

"And what were you doing to him?"

He closed his eyes. "A few non-invasive tests. Some questions. I assure you, he volunteered. A day ago, he mentioned a strange lethargy starting to take hold of him. I sent him out to see if it was affecting the other fusions as well. He'll report back when he finds something worthwhile." Dex cracked open one eye. "I didn't think you'd be quite so...concerned about him, Brightstream."

She let out a short laugh. "To be perfectly frank, neither did I." Her eyes darkened. "Can't help it, I guess."

He looked up, focused on something behind Kina's head, and smiled. "Ah, I believe you've been looking for someone else, as well."

Kina turned. "Socks!" she exclaimed as the little nano shot into her arms. "Where were you?"

"He followed Kael here. Seems that the nano is quite attached to him," Dexter observed. "I still have no idea what is wrong with him."

Kina glanced up over the nano's sock-covered head. "That's because there's nothing wrong with him," she murmured. "He's perfect."

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Dex muttered, rolling his eyes.

Kina laughed and set Socks down on the table. "Well, now that that's out of the way, there is something else I wanted to discuss with you."

"And what would that be?"

"The matter of the holidays."

Dexter peered at her over the rim of his glasses. "What about them?" he asked, a doubtful tone in his voice.

"We should have some sort of celebration. I mean, we haven't had one since the Invasion, right? They've all been forgotten in the war."

"We celebrated Thanksgiving."

Kina winced. "No, that was you allowing Argost to send kinds on a cryptid hunt because you'd heard of fusion cryptids, not Thanksgiving," she pointed out. "What I mean is, kids could use a break. Just a little time to relax, not have to worry as much about the war, to...be normal again, for a bit."

Dexter sighed, pushed back his chair, and stood. "I apologize, I'm still not used to visitors. I forgot to offer you anything."

"I'm fine. Don't try to evade the question."

"Are you sure? I've got excellent teas, coffees, and even some hot chocolate," he said, gesturing at the counter along the wall.

"Fine, cocoa, then. Dex, about the..."

He held up a hand and turned away, pressing a button to dispense hot water into a cup. "I know. I know everyone could use a break, Brightstream. Einstein knows I could use one, as well." He poured a little packet of cocoa into the water and stirred, reaching for a bag of mini marshmallows. "Unfortunately, Fuse will not allow us the time for a celebration. Perhaps something short, at night, when the monsters retreat, but a true celebration?" He returned to the table and set the mug down in front of her. "It's out of the question."

Kina stared down at the cup. After a moment, she closed her eyes and took a taste. "It is good," she murmured, "especially with the cold outside."

"It has been abnormally chilly thus far. Is it still below freezing?"

She nodded. "Snowed again last night, although it's probably melted by now. Again." She took another sip.

At that moment, Computress appeared at the door, wearing her most urgent expression. "Dexter," she said. "Kael has contacted us. Shall I connect him?"

"Please do."

A projector slid out of the ceiling and cast a light against the far wall. It coalesced into a picture of Kael, somewhat distorted by static and darkness, obviously broadcast from his Nanocom.

"Hello, Kael. What do you have to report?" Dexter asked, standing.

"It's really cold," he muttered. "Like, really cold. And that's what's..." He stopped, eyes fixed on a point on his Nanocom. "Dexter, is that Kina?"

The girl in question raised her hand in a little wave. "Don't mind me. What's going on?"

Kael flicked his eyes to Dex, who nodded. "It's...well, it's the cold. It's causing all the fusions to slow down."

"It makes sense. Fusion matter is something of a liquid. Perhaps its freezing point is somewhere around that of water. I'll have to run a few tests..." Dexter mused, already planning the experiments.

"Wait, that's not all. It's some good news, at least for right now. Fuse is calling for all troops to withdraw into the Fusion Lairs. The cold is making it too easy for them to be destroyed. If it gets any colder, we might all just...stop. Not able to move, or fight, or anything." Kael grimaced. "He's got his minions working on a sort of anti-freeze. Until that's ready, all fusions are stuck underground."

"Do you know how long development will take?"

Kael shook his head. "It could be anything from a week to a month. Maybe more. Who knows?"

"And what are you doing, Kael? You're affected too, right?" Kina asked.

He swallowed. "Um, right. I tried to get back to Downtown, but the cold was too much. I'm sheltering in an abandoned lair in Pokey Oaks for now."

"Alright. Thank you, Kael. Stay as warm as you can. Dexter, out." The boy sighed as the screen went black and glanced over at his guest. Kina had a faint, smug grin on her face. He shook his head. "No, still out of the question. We don't know how much time we have."

Kina's took another drink of her cocoa and widened her smile. "You know, I always wondered why the fusions came out at night in the future."

"The anti-freeze... They don't have it yet, so they can't stand to cooler nighttime temperatures," Dex muttered. "In that case, the parallel world experienced something similar to this. If we contact them, we can find out how long it took Fuse to... It won't be perfect of course, but..."

"But we'll be able to have a celebration," Kina finished, leaning back in her chair.

The boy nodded, closing his eyes. "Yes, yes, we could. Computress!"

"Yes, Dexter?"

"Please contact Future Mandark."

"Yes, Dexter."

The screen lit up again, this time revealing a picture of an older Mandark, sitting at his desk. He looked up. "Ah, Little Dexter, what a pleasant surprise. What's the occasion? Oh, and Miss Akinas! How are you today?"

"A little chilly, actually," she responded. "How are things where you are?"

His eyes narrowed. "Ah, that isn't a story you'd like to hear, is it? Things are never good these days, only bad news, I'm afraid. Holding steady, at least, though it's not likely to last long."

"I see." Kina lowered her gaze. "I'm sorry."

"Think nothing of it. Nothing to be done. Now, Little Dexter, what's this call about?"

Dex grit his teeth. "I believe I asked you not to call me that," he growled.

Mandark laughed. "I'm older than you now, ahaha, I can do what I want!"

Dex rubbed his temples and took a deep breath. "Yes, well, to business. In the first year following the Invasion, was there a lull in fusion activity when it got cold?"

"Yes, there was, actually. Dexter – our Dexter, that is - believed that it was due to the liquid nature of fusion matter. Is the same thing happening for you now?"

"Yes, and that is our conclusion as well. Would you happen to know how long the event lasted?" he asked, crossing his arms.

Mandark thought for a moment. "Hmm, let's see. It began on the tenth of December and lasted until...January third, yes, that was the day. Does that help?"

"Immensely. Thank you, Mandark. Hang in there."

"As always. Mandark, out!"

Dexter sighed and sat back down. He pushed up his glasses, adjusted his gloves, and fixed Kina with an impassive stare. "What day is it?" he asked innocently.

"The tenth," Kina responded with a grin.

The boy sighed. "Do as you will, then. Host a holiday. I'll have no part in this."

Kina stood. "Thank you, Dexter. Everyone will be so happy to hear it!" She turned and practically skipped out the door, only pausing to give him a little wave and secure Socks on her shoulder.

Dexter shook his head and gathered the mugs on the table. He walked them over to the sink and sighed again. "Mark me, Computress, nothing good is going to come of this."

"It is a little convenient, isn't it? That she would make that request right as we got the news," the robot mused. "A bit of a happy coincidence, perhaps."

"Too often, I find that coincidences are anything but," Dexter muttered. He flicked off the lights in the lounge and returned to his lab, alone.


	45. Holiday 2

_In Which a Missing Person is Found and a Wrench is Thrown into the Works_

* * *

"So then, the idea is that each central location hosts a party, and then, on New Years, we host a party for the people who hosted the previous ones. Like, Double D has already agreed to have one at the Cul-de-Sac, and Numbuh One is willing to have one at the Treehouse. I think we'll try for Mount Blackhead, the Sunken Mall, Orchid Bay, Acorn Flats, and maybe Endsville as well. Gwen already offered to host a Yule celebration, and I called all of the places of worship in town and they've agreed to have religious services as usual. What do you guys think?"

Tal and Kestrel exchanged a glance before turning to stare at their companion, who was walking backwards down the main street in Downtown. Kina grinned and stuck her hands deep in her pockets. "Well? Is it stupid, or do you think it'll work?"

"No. I mean, yeah, it could work, I guess," Kes answered, scratching her head. "It just seems like a lot of work."

"'course it is. It's a lot of parties. But I'm getting us some help. At least, I'm trying." Kina paused, letting the other two catch up. "I had one of the DexBots give out a mission sending kids down to Marquee Row to pick up ornaments from the auditorium, but it looks like Ace and the GanGreen Gang are keeping everyone out. I figured we should go talk to them."

"What if talking doesn't work?" Tal asked, recalling that the gangsters in question were enemies of the Powerpuff Girls.

"Well, I called on someone in the area who sounded like he needed a break." She glanced over her shoulder. "Here he comes now."

Kes and Tal turned to see an orangish blur race towards them. It shot by, leaving a huge gust of wind and blown snow in its wake, and, with a great metallic sound, shrank into two unfamiliar forms.

"Hi," Kina said, sticking out her hand. "You must be Rex and Bobo. I'm Kina. Thanks for volunteering to help out today."

"No problemo," Rex returned, shaking her hand. "Just call if you need us. Otherwise, we're hitting the Mr. Smoothie down the street." With that, he raised a hand in a wave, jumped into the air, and created a hover bike. Bobo hopped on behind him and the pair sped away.

The trio stood, stunned. Kes wiped a bit of the snow Rex had displaced off her face and shivered. "Nice guy," she muttered.

"I bet he just doesn't get out much." Tal rolled his eyes. "Whatever. We're already here." He pointed at the ticket stand in front of the giant infected zone.

"I heard that this is where Ace likes to hang out with his new squeeze," Kina observed, stepping into the queue. Kes followed, hand dropping to her weapon.

"New squeeze? Ace has a girlfriend?"

"Yeah, and a pretty one, at that," came a snide voice from nearby. Kes spun around, pistol raised. To her left stood the infamous Ace, arm languidly wrapped around a green-eyed, black-haired girl wearing a leather jacket.

Tal's eyes widened. "Buttercup?" he gasped.

She grinned. "Nah, name's Belladonna, sweet cheeks. What's yours?"

"Tal," he responded, "but you should know that. I'd recognize you anywhere, Buttercup. You and your sisters visited Dex all the time. Why're you here? Everyone thought you were...gone."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, kid, but I don't like it," 'Belladonna' growled, narrowing her eyes. Ace squeezed her a little tighter.

"Yeah, kid, back off. Or else." Ace snapped his fingers and the rest of the GanGreen Gang emerged from the ticket booth.

"You know, I think Tal's right," Kina murmured.

Kes nodded and shrugged. "Not much we can do about it. I think she doesn't remember who she is."

"Amnesia. Maybe if we jog her memory..."

"Shouldn't we focus on the ornaments first? Deal with this later?"

Kina nodded and stepped forward. "Sorry about Tal, he gets...excited." She raised an eyebrow at him as he opened his mouth to speak. His lips closed in a tight line as he crossed his arms and gestured for her to continue. "We came here to discuss you chasing off anyone who gets near."

"Yeah, what of it?" Ace asked, grinning. "They enterin' our turf. It's our right to chase 'em off."

"If you could allow them access for just a few days, we'd be quite grateful. We're only trying to get some decorations out of the Infected Zone for some holiday parties." Kina explained.

Ace thought that over for a moment. "So what? Still's our turf, still ain't allowed to trespass."

"Please, Ace, just for a few days. We wouldn't bother you again."

"Yeah, come on, Ace. It's just a dumb party and a few stupid kids. Maybe you can make a deal with them?" Belladonna suggested. "Maybe demand a fee or something?"

"Ye-ah, that might work. Maybe each kid goin' in pays up a thousand taros, that sound fair to you?"

Kina shook her head. "Some of the kids going in don't even have that much."

"Fine, then. Twenty percent of what they got goes in our pockets." Ace lowered his glasses and stared at the trio. "Final offer."

"Alright, we agree."

"What?" Tal hissed. "You can't seriously be giving in to these freaks."

Kina glanced at him. "I'll pay the kids back from the budget. It's no big deal."

"Good deal. Now get lost. I don't wanna see you on our turf again," Ace growled, turing to go.

"Wait!" Kina called. "I'd like to speak with Belladonna for a second. Alone."

Ace's eyes narrowed. "I guess, if she wants to talk to you, I can't stop her."

The black haired girl rolled her eyes and walked over. "What?" she asked, hands on her hips.

"You are Buttercup," Kina whispered. "I'm sure of it. Your sisters really miss you, you know. No one knows what happened to you, yet here you are, perfectly safe while they worry."

"I don't have any-"

"I know. You don't remember. I understand. So let me try to remind you of your family. The Professor. Your sisters, Blossom and Bubbles. The three of you are superheroes, you know, protecting the city of Townsville and the surrounding suburbs from any threat," Kina said softly, placing a hand on Belladonna's shoulder.

"Woah, wait. Superheroes? You think I'm part of the Powerpuff Girls?" She threw back her head and laughed. "I don't know much, but I know I don't have superpowers."

"Please, just... Just come up to City Station for a little while. I'll call your sisters, and when they see you, when you see them, you'll just...you'll know. Please, I want to give them their sister back." Kina wiped a hand across her eyes. "Please."

"No." The word was said in a flat tone, her eyes as dark as pitch.

"Alright then."

Kina blinked as Kes shoved her aside and stalked up to the other girl. She sized her up, noting the slight difference in their heights (Kes was shorter), the unbalanced manner in which Belladonna stood, the superior look in her eyes. And then she punched her, striking her on the cheek with a harsh blow.

Belladonna reeled back, hand flying to her face. "What the hell was that for?" she shouted, eyes blazing with fury. She lashed out with her other hand, missing as Kes danced just out of range.

"Yes, Kestrel, what was that?" Kina echoed, catching the younger girl by the shoulder.

She grinned. "Well, your touchy-feely thing wasn't working. Makes sense, you know. Buttercup is kind of harsh, so I figure if I start punching, she might start reacting like Buttercup." With a shrug, she shook Kina's hand off and launched herself at the other girl, still smiling. She ducked a strike and shot out one leg, catching Belladonna at her hip.

The blow didn't fully land, however, as she grabbed Kes's foot and pulled. Kestrel went flying over her shoulder and slammed into the force field surrounding the auditorium, twenty feet behind the site of their fight.

"Kes!" Tal shouted, starting to move towards her, but Kina stopped him as Belladonna glared in their direction.

"We can't do anything here, Tal. She got herself into this."

The girl in question winced and sat up, rubbing her neck. She smiled slightly and, using the force field to prop herself up, stood. "No superpowers, huh?" she called. "That was a hell of a throw."

"Whatever." Belladonna stopped and put her hands on her hips. "You done yet?"

"Nope." Kes shot forward and slammed into the other girl, shoving her back to the queue. Belladonna toppled backwards over the chain, performed a quick somersault, and stood in a ready stance, eyes locked on her opponent below.

Kestrel stepped backwards, crossed her arms, and grinned. "Now I'm done," she said.

"What's that mean?"

"Look down."

Belladonna did. Her eyes widened. "Holy crud, I'm floating."

"Superpowers. I told you. Powerpuff Girl. Deal with it."

"No." She shook her head and sank until her feet touched the ground. "No way. I still..." She trailed off, eyes locked on the road. Everyone turned.

Rex and Bobo froze, transfixed by all the people staring at them.

"Mojo Jojo," Belladonna muttered.

"Actually, it's Bobo Haha, but whatever you want to call me, baby, I'm game."

She blinked, disgust flashing across her face. "No, you just... Never mind, I think I...remember. I think...I am Buttercup."

Ace lowered his gaze. "What'cha gonna do now, babe? Leave?"

Buttercup turned to stare at him. "Wait, Ace, did you know?"

He winced. "Maybe I figured it out a little. Like, you know, suspected. But...but babe, I just didn't...didn't wanna lose you, y'know?"

"Okay. Okay, then." She sighed and rubbed her head. "Look, I have to go let everyone know I'm still standing. But..." She glanced at Ace, who couldn't meet her gaze. "I'll, you know, come back. Soon."

With that, she flew into the crisp blue winter sky.

Still on the road, Rex turned to Bobo, who dropped his smoothie as the girl flew directly overhead. The boy blinked and looked back at the group in the queue. "Okay, I totally missed something here, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but nothing terribly important to you."

Rex turned, seeking the source of the voice. A young woman sat on a stack of crates next to a building, hand raised in a wave. "Hey," she called, hopping down. "Maybe you should go get another smoothie for your chimp and come back once things have calmed down."

"Hey, you didn't call me a monkey! Rex, I like this one. Let's keep her around," Bobo said, waggling his eyebrows.

Rex rolled his eyes and grabbed the chimp by the collar. "C'mon, buddy, let's cool you off a little." The boy dragged the simian down the street and around the corner while the girl watched, a faint smile on her face. She shoved her short hair behind her ear and turned towards the queue.

"I, uh, I guess we won't even charge them. Whatever. Doesn't really matter," Ace muttered. He snapped his fingers and the GanGreen Gang melted into the shadows.

"Well, that's that then, I guess," Kina murmured.

Tal nodded. "Looks like Buttercup won't harbor a grudge. That's a little surprising." He shrugged. "Want to go back and work on plans for New Years?"

"Sure." The two turned and walked down the road, dodging piles of snow as they went.

Kes watched them leave and sighed. "Why is everyone in this story so forgiving?" she wondered, crossing her arms.

"Who knows?"

Kes turned, eyes wide. "Who the heck are you?" she asked, eyes locked on the young woman leaning against the ticket stand.

The girl smiled. "I'm new in town."

"You could say that." Her eyes narrowed. "You don't belong here at all, do you." It wasn't a question.

"No, I don't."

"How did you get here?"

"Hey, I'm not the one who keeps cracking the fourth wall. What, did your trip to the Plane of Suck and Azeroth give you some perspective on your own world?"

"How did you know about that?" Kes was on her in an instant, pistol jammed against the girl's chest.

There wasn't a hint of fear in her eyes. "I'm the author. It's kind of my job to know these things."

Kes blinked and stepped back, hand and weapon dropping to point at the ground. "The author?"

"You can call me Grey." She glanced over her shoulder and grinned again. "Oh look, here's that guy again. Rex, right?" she called, raising her voice in order to be heard.

The boy looked up, eyes brightening. "Yeah. Hi, weird girl. What can I do for you?"

"I'm prepping for a party of my own. Want to help out?" she asked, hands on her hips, a knowing expression on her face.

"Sure." With a mechanical clatter, Rex's bike appeared. Grey hopped on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She gave Kestrel a little wave before Rex blasted away.

"So what kind of party is this?" Rex asked, shouting to be heard over the noise.

"One celebrating and promoting teenage rebellion. Care to join in?"

"Sounds like my kind of party."

* * *

Still at the auditorium, Kes and Bobo exchanged a glance.

"Dangerous girl," the chimp commented.

The girl groaned and rubbed her temples. "You have _no_ idea."

* * *

A/N: So I'm the wrench. Oops. I've seen author involvement in the story before, including in wonderful published works, and trust me, I'm going somewhere with this intrusion. Grey Raven North is a pen name. "She" is as much a character as Kina or Kes. I'll only be involved for this arc, and only in order to get a couple of things rolling. We'll return to the regularly scheduled Between once the Holidays are over, no worries.


	46. Holiday 3

_In Which We Honor the Fallen_

* * *

Kestrel spent the next week in a state of high alert, always watching out for the visitor from another world. If anything happened, either because of or to the author, it would be her fault. Every morning, when Kina received a report about how the previous night's festivities went, Kes hovered in the background, waiting for news of a strange girl crashing the party and ruining the night for everyone.

But no news came. And no news was good news, supposedly - although Kes suspected it only meant that, when whatever was going to happen happened, it would only be that much more terrible.

And so Christmas Eve Day came around. Edd had agreed to host a slightly somber party in the Cul-de-Sac and Numbuh One had offered up the Treehouse and Hero Square for a feast and happier party on Christmas Day. But first, Hero Square had to be updated.

Ben, Edd, and Dexter had spent several weeks discussing how best to honor those lost in the war against Fuse and had eventually agreed to update the statue in Hero Square with holograms of each fallen warrior and a full list of names. Dexter had worked on the programming for the project and finished just in time for Christmas.

The monument was to be dedicated on Christmas Eve Day.

Needless to say, Kes wasn't going to let her guard down.

* * *

"We are gathered here today to honor the fallen. We dedicate this monument to all who have died because of Fuse, to all who have given their lives in order to fight his forces, to all who have sacrificed for our benefit. We offer this space, Hero Square, as a place for those left behind to find solace in the company of their peers and in the memory of the lost," Double D said, quiet voice amplified by the speakers encircling the huge crowd below the stage. He nodded slightly and Ben stepped up.

"We now ask for a moment of silence, to reflect on those we are about to honor." He lowered his head and the crowd followed suit.

After a minute, Kina stepped up to the microphone, followed closely by Kestrel and Tal. She motioned to someone off to the side and ethereal music began to play. Tal and Kes hummed softly as Kina began to sing.

_"You'll know when's time to go on._

_ "You'll really want to grow and grow 'till tall._

_ "They all, in the end, will fall._

_ "You'll know when's time to go on._

_ "You'll really want to grow and grow 'till tall._

_ "They all, in the end, will fall._

_ "You'll know when's time to go on._

_ "You'll really want to grow and grow 'till tall._

_ "They all, in the end, will fall._

_ "Grow 'till tall."_

_ "They all, in the end, will fall._

_ "They, in the end, will turn and fall._

_ "You'll know, you'll grow._

_ "You'll know, you'll know._

_ "You'll know._

_ "You'll know._

_ "You'll know..."_

As the last sweet notes faded, the trio stepped back and allowed Dexter to take his place in front of the microphone.

"If I may direct your attention to the monument," he said, and pressed a button on the device in his hand. Holograms flickered into being above each arm of the monument, each displaying a face familiar to someone in the crowd. After five seconds, one hologram shifted, followed by the next, and the next, the change rippling around the monument.

"Thank you," he whispered into the microphone. "Thank you all for being willing to make this sacrifice. Rest assured that, no matter if you live or die, your bravery will never be forgotten. We, and the world, are eternally grateful. Thank you."

And, without much fanfare, the dedication was over. The crowd dispersed. The stage was disassembled. Everyone went their own way, separating in order to prepare for the festivities that night.

Kestrel glanced around Hero Square and let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She shook her head and wandered away.

Once everyone had left, Grey emerged from the shadows at the side of the monument. Her face was somber as she stared up at the changing holograms, her cheeks lined with traces of tears. After a moment, she glanced up at the steel gray sky. Slowly, snowflakes began to drift down from the clouds, small at first, but becoming bigger and heavier as time passed.

Still, Grey stood. She rubbed her bare arms and breathed on her frozen hands, but would not move from her spot.

Finally, the holograms cycled all the way through, showing the same faces over again. Grey looked down, eyes averted. She shook the snow from her person, took one last look at the monument, and turned to leave.

She paused, closed her eyes, and bowed her shoulders. "I'm sorry," she whispered to the cold air. "There was nothing I could do."

The girl walked forward once more, quickly disappearing into the falling snow.

* * *

A/N: There's the wrap-up of one part of the story. I've been meaning to have them memorialize the dead for a while, but couldn't really fit it in anywhere except for here. The song used is Grow Till Tall, by Jonsi, an Icelandic singer and the front man of Sigur Ros. I wanted to use (dauoalagio) (death) by Sigur Ros, but it's 13 minutes long and in Hopelandic, a made-up language. I highly recommend both Jonsi and Sigur Ros, although they are a little out there. Look them up on Youtube or something and see if you like. Grow Till Tall is fitting for this scene because of its somber, sad tone and the fact that it talks about growing up while watching people around you 'fall'. This applies to the kids left behind, having to grow up while losing the people they care about, and is especially poignant because some of dead are kids that never had the chance to "grow 'till tall". Morbid, really.

Also, I'd like to point out that I'm not a sadistic person. I actually don't like tormenting the characters in this. Hence Grey's sadness. I dislike having to put myself in their position, having to imagine what losing my loved ones would be like, having to remember the losses I have suffered. The show must go on, and the story must be written, however.

Please, whether you like the chapters or not (especially if you don't and have constructive criticism), review. While I won't stop posting due to lack of reviews, a little goes a long way to motivate me. Thank you for bearing with me for so long. Until next time!


	47. Holiday 4

A/N: I apologize for the long delay. Suffice to say some stuff came up between the last chapter and this one, but it's mostly resolved. We can now resume the Christmas revelry. Thank you, also, for the reviews. I love hearing from you guys.

* * *

_In Which a Christmas Miracle Finally Occurs_

* * *

Several inches of snow accumulated during the following hours. By the time the party in the Cul-de-Sac began, there was nearly four inches of white blanketing the ground. The temperature dropped several degrees, settling somewhere well below freezing. This cold caused Dexter to sigh and groan repeatedly, all of which was near certainly an act. He skipped the celebration to hunker down in his lab, working on a way to keep the guests at tomorrow's party warm and relatively dry.

Kina, Kes, and Tal approached the Great Doors of Plank together, feet crunching in the new snow. Kina rubbed her hands together, chilled despite the wool mittens encasing them. She shivered and drew her scarf tighter around her neck, sparing a thought for the warm down coat she'd passed up for a heavy fleece. At the very least, her feet were warm, shoved deep into the furry insides of a pair of Uggs. The things were an expensive- and annoying- fashion trend, but she had to admit that they got the job done.

Tal looked slightly miserable, despite the woolen cap pulled down over his ears. He had opted for a ski parka, a plaid number that still managed to look trendy, but had neglected to pick up any gloves. He shoved his hands deep into his coat pockets, wondering briefly what the symptoms of frostbite were. His boots, while somewhat warm, were by no means waterproof and had turned a soggy looking brown on the walk over.

Kestrel, on the other hand, wore a flannel shirt over a long-sleeved tee. She sported her usual beanie and had pulled a pair of tawny gloves from somewhere, although they looked fairly thin. Her sneakers, though soaked, seemed to be sufficient enough for her. At the very least, she had decided against the shorts she'd doggedly worn through early winter, opting for a basic pair of jeans instead.

When her companions had questioned her choice of light clothing, she'd merely shrugged. "I'm from Vermont," she'd responded. "It's really cold up there in winter."

Needless to say, she looked the least bothered of the three, with a smile on her face despite the slight red tint to her cheeks and the tip of her nose.

They entered the Cul-de-Sac and stopped, awed by the transformation in front of them. Strings of white lights lined the eaves of every house and twined around the bare branches of the trees, their light muted by the snow covering the bulbs. Eddy's throne had disappeared, replaced by a small raised stage. Where the vendors usually stood to sell their wares was a line of tables, each set with containers of hot apple cider, hot cocoa, and hot water for tea. Small fires had been set in several driveways and kids stood before them, roasting marshmallows, tossing chestnuts into the flames, and simply gathering around the heat. Between the soft hue of the Christmas lights and the flickering flames, the Cul-de-Sac took on a nearly ethereal quality, enhanced by the gentle voices and laughter of everyone in the area.

"How do you like it?"

The trio glanced to the left, where a very pleased looking Double D stood, bundled up in his parka.

"It's wonderful," Kina said, staring back at the main area. "Absolutely perfect."

The boy blushed. "Well, not quite perfect, I would think, but I did try my hardest."

"It really does look great, D." Kes grinned and patted his shoulder. "Maybe you should become a party planner or something."

He spared his guidee a look and rolled his eyes. "While I appreciate the compliment, Kestrel, I do not believe that is the correct career path for me."

"Whatever, Sockhead. Take my advice or don't." She smiled and snapped her fingers. "Oh, yeah, got you a present, oh Guide of mine." She dug into her pocket, pulled out a tiny ball of wrapping paper, and dropped it in his hand.

One eyebrow raised, Edd unwrapped the package, revealing a perfectly smooth ball of granite. When he looked to her for an explanation, she tilted her head to the side.

"I know you like sciency things, and collecting stuff, so I combined the two. That's some granite from Vermont, y'know, the quarries in Barre? It's pretty sick granite."

"Yes, thank you, Kestrel, I do like it." Double D pocketed the ball and frowned. "I have something for you, as well." He reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a neatly wrapped package, wincing as Kestrel tore the careful wrappings to bits.

"A new beanie! Sweet!" she cried, holding it up. The hat was similar to her old one in style, but was solid black, save for the silver symbol of a flying falcon-like bird on the right side. Kes tore off her old hat and put on her new one, barely sparing a moment to store it in her Nanocom before giving Edd a massive hug. "Thanks!"

"Ah, Kina, Tal, I have presents for you, as well," Double D said as soon as she'd let him go, wheezing slightly. For Tal was an authentic whetstone, for sharpening Luz. For Kina, he had taken a length of rope and knotted it, a nod to their days as camper and counselor.

Tal handed over a small, rectangular package, which, when unwrapped, revealed a comprehensive pocket thesaurus. Double D thanked him profusely, even opening the book to use every synonym for gratitude he could find. Kina finally cut him off by waving the other two away.

"Go get some hot drinks. You guys look cold. At least," she continued, looking them up and down, "Tal does."

After the two had left, she turned back to Edd and gave him a hug before handing over her present. He unwrapped it carefully, preserving the paper and even managing to keep the tape from ripping it. What he saw inside gave him pause. His lifted the object from its wrapping.

"A wooden puzzle," he murmured, eyes meeting Kina's.

She looked away. "It's not as good as the one you gave me, since it only goes together one way, but..."

"It's the thought behind it that counts. Kina, thank you."

"No," she whispered, tears prickling in the corners of her eyes, catching the light. "Thank you."

They hugged again and, after Kina had gotten a hold of herself again, smiled at one another. After a moment, Edd cocked his head to the side, eyebrows knit.

"Would you be willing to do something for me?" he asked.

Kina raised one eyebrow, instantly suspicious. "Like what?"

* * *

"_Come they told me, pa rum pa pum pum._

_ "A newborn king to see, pa rum pa pum pum..._"

Kina stood on the stage, singing softly to the gathered crowd. Edd had asked her to stick to classic, quiet Christmas carols and she was happy to oblige. Surrounded by the light and the crowd, she felt warmer, somehow. She let the feeling fill her and poured some of it into her music, hoping that it would help warm the Cul-de-Sac, as well.

Kes and Tal watched from the back of the audience, each sipping a cup of cider.

"She's really something, isn't she?" Tal murmured, a wistful tone in his voice.

Kes glanced at the snow covered ground and took a gulp of her drink, wincing as it burned her mouth. "Yeah," she responded, risking a glance at him. His eyes seemed misty, focusing on the stage, but not quite on Kina. His hands cradled his mug, but he made no move to continue drinking. He blinked, and his shoulders rounded slightly, his gaze dropping to his mug. He traced the rim with one finger and sighed.

Kes echoed his sigh and took another gulp of cider, swallowing an oath with the burning liquid. _Idiot_, she thought. After a moment, she tilted her head back and looked up at the sky. No stars were visible, hidden as they were by the gathered clouds. Sad, but the clouds also blocked out the sight of Planet Fusion. On a night like this, she could almost pretend that everything was normal again.

"Where's Socks?" Tal asked suddenly. Kes blinked and tilted her gaze towards him, making sure that none of her previous thoughts showed.

"With Devon. Kina visited him earlier and he just kinda stayed."

"Oh."

The two lapsed into silence once more, listening as Kina moved on to Silent Night. Halfway through, Tal turned to Kes once more.

"That hat looks good on you."

"Really?" She was suddenly thankful that the cold had already turned her cheeks red. "Thanks."

"I, uh, got you something. For Christmas." Tal held out another package, this one topped with a small bow.

Kes grinned a little when she saw the bow and carefully took it off, sticking it on her hat. She opened the present with a little more care than she had used with the previous one, revealing a pair of jet black fingerless gloves of a light, thin material. On the back of the hand, at the base of each finger, sat a small silver stud. The stitching matched the studs in hue, and matched perfectly with Kes's new beanie.

"Wow," she said, stripping off her old gloves and pulling the new ones on. She flexed and clenched her hands a few times, a grin creeping across her features. "Wow."

"Double D and I kind of worked together on these," Tal revealed, a faint smile finding its way to his lips. "I hope you like them."

She paused and stared at him, still grinning. "I get it. You guys are trying to change my wardrobe, right?"

"No..."

"Whatever, it worked. I love these." She flexed her hands again before reaching into her pocket. "I got you something, too. Well, I mean, I didn't get it, I had it, but it's for you." She held out her hand and set a small box in his outstretched one, fingers briefly brushing against his palm. She blinked and pulled away, once again thankful for the cold air.

He removed the lid and stared down at the trinket, a small silver-hued rectangle of metal engraved with an abstract shape that almost looked like a dragon. He lifted it out, noting the braided black thread that followed. "A necklace?" he asked, barely hiding the confusion in his voice.

"A talisman. My dad gave it to me when I was a kid. It's supposed to keep the wearer safe from the powers of darkness. And I figured, hey, you're supposed to be fighting the dark, so..." She glanced over at him, brows knit. "Do you like it? You don't, do you?"

He gave her a half smile and slid the talisman over his head, tucking it under his jacket. "No, I like it. I could use all the help I can get. Thanks, Kes," he said.

"Welcome," she murmured, unable to shake the feeling that he didn't quite want it. But it felt right to give it to him, and that was all that mattered.

Tal glanced down at her, a rush of guilt hitting him as he saw her downcast look. He looked away and took a sip of his cider, letting it warm him before turning his gaze back to her. He sighed and put an arm around her shoulder, giving her a brief squeeze. "Merry Christmas Eve, Kes," he whispered.

Kes, who had stiffened when he first grabbed her, relaxed into his grip. "Yeah," she whispered back. "Merry Christmas."

* * *

Numbuh 1 sat in the main room of the Treehouse, staring out the window. Hero Square was set up for Christmas day, minus the special force field Dexter was whipping up. Nigel had sent the rest of his team to bed and ordered all other operatives to enjoy the holiday, but couldn't find sleep himself, even though it was nearing midnight.

The clouds were beginning to break, although Nigel doubted it would be for long. He could see the faint glow of stars in the northwestern sky, away from the light pollution of the city. He found himself seeking two other celestial bodies, out of habit. The first was Planet Fusion, which was thankfully still hidden by the clouds. The other he found without much difficulty, simply by searching for the brightest patch of cloud cover. The moon.

Numbuh 1 stood and approached the window, eyes locked on his quarry. Yes, the moon had become an object of fascination for him. He'd had Numbuh 2 train a telescope on it, although little could be seen of the Moonbase. Every once in a while, though, they'd catch a glimpse of flashes of weapon fire, and of green meteors giving the moon near misses. Enough to keep the ember of hope alive, but not enough to confirm that everyone in the Moonbase was safe.

The clouds in front of the moon dissipated, revealing its pockmarked surface. And something else. Nigel squinted. The smooth round edge of the moon seemed different somehow, as if a branch was sticking out of it. And the craters seemed off, as though they had moved.

All at once, it clicked together. Perhaps the Moonbase was under siege. Perhaps they had been able to fire the engines hidden in the moon's surface, ever so slightly, an inch at a time, to somehow expose the Moonbase. Maybe...

"...in, Kids Next... Come in, this is...base. I repeat, this...Moonbase. Is any...there?"

Nigel spun and dashed to the control panel, startled into action by the static-laden broadcast coming in. He picked up the radio and jammed his hand down on the button. "Yes, this is Numbuh 1 of the Kids Next Door. Is this Moonbase? I repeat, is this Moonbase?"

"Nigel? Nigel! It's...362. This is Moonbase. Can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, sir. What's been going on up there?"

"Fuse took out most of our satellites and damaged our communications unit. We had to slowly turn the moon until we could get a better position to broadcast from, but we were attacked every time we tried. Same with trying to send ships home. We're under siege, Numbuh 1. What's the situation on the ground?"

"We're holding off Fuse's forces, to say the least. We can't get any birds into the atmosphere for the same reason you can't come down, though. Maybe with a two pronged attack..." Nigel thought for a minute. "How are the supplies up there?"

"Holding out," Rachel replied.

"Are there any...casualties?" he asked, dreading the response.

"No. We're all okay, minus a few bumps and scrapes. We even managed to rescue Cree. She's actually been helpful. I guess the enemy of my enemy really is my friend."

"Hoagie and Abby will be overjoyed to hear about this."

"I'm sure they will." There was a pause. "Anything...Numbuh 1?"

"What? I'm sorry, sir, you're breaking up."

"...contact...tomorrow night."

"Alright, sir. Happy Christmas."

"Merry...Nigel."

With that, the transmission was cut. Nigel stayed where he was, leaning over the control panel. After a moment, he lifted his glasses and wiped a hand across his eyes. As he replaced his signature shades, he glanced out the window, where the clouds were covering the sky once more. Even so, he fancied he saw a slight red glow dash across the sky. He blinked, chocking it up to lack of sleep, and made his way to his quarters.

For the first night in a long time, he had a restful slumber.


End file.
